Seven-time defending Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won a chaotic 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to draw even with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the 2021 Formula 1 driver’s championship – each driver with 369.5 points – going into next week’s 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, grabbed the third and final podium position with a last corner pass of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
Hamilton began the race on pole position with Bottas alongside him on the front row and both got ahead of Verstappen – who was starting in the third position in the second row – on the first lap and held those positions through the first uneventful 10 laps of the race.
But things began to get interesting when Haas’ Mick Schumacher crashed into the barriers on Lap 11 – initially causing a yellow flag and bringing out the safety car but which turned into a red flag stoppage of the race when race officials decided they needed to repair the barrier. Both Hamilton and Bottas had pitted and dropped into second and third, respectively, behind Verstappen during the safety car but the subsequent red flag decision gave Verstappen a free pit stop and retention of the lead.
Upon the restart on Lap 15, Hamilton had beaten Verstappen to the first corner to take the lead but Verstappen illegally cut the corner to reclaim the lead over both Hamilton and Ocon, who had squeezed in between Hamilton and Verstappen. Meanwhile, four other cars crashed – including Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez – and another red flag was initiated to clean up the debris. Verstappen was instructed by race officials to give the lead back to Ocon and start behind Hamilton.
On the Lap 17 second red flag restart, Verstappen – starting on mediuum tires over Hamilton’s hard tires – passed both Ocon and Hamilton to grab first place. On the next lap, Hamilton passed Ocon to move into second place and then a parade of virtual safety cars ensued over the next 17 laps as various cars crashed and spread debris around the track.
Finally, on Lap 37, Hamilton attempted a pass of Verstappen, who again cut the corner to fend off Hamilton – a move which eventually earned him a five-second penalty – and on the next lap, Verstappen was instructed to give the place he took illegally back to Hamilton but instead, inexplicably, chose to slow down and brake-check Hamilton on a straight, causing Hamilton to crash into him from behind. Fortunately, for Hamilton, the contact was light enough that the damage to his front wing still allowed his car to continue with the race.
Verstappen finally allowed Hamilton to pass on Lap 43 and from there, Hamilton cruised to an easy victory and maintained the fastest lap to add an extra point to his race win. Next week’s 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 5am [PST] will now decide the winner of the 2021 Formula 1 racing season.
2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Top 10 Finishers
1] Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2] Max Verstappen Red Bull
3] Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
4] Esteban Ocon Alpine
5] Daniel Ricciardo McLaren
6] Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri
7] Charles Leclerc Ferrari
8] Carlos Sainz, Jr. Ferrari
9] Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo
10] Lando Norris McLaren
