2021 Formula One Qatar Grand Prix

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN.jpg

Who will win World Drivers' Championship?

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With three races remaining on the 2021 F1 calendar and both driver and constructor championships still to be decided, the Qatar Grand Prix looks to be yet another exciting race.

Week after week in 2021, it seems like the driver's championship is not yet decided, but momentum appears to be favouring either Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen. This is the situation we find ourselves in again as the field heads to Qatar. Hamilton's new engine in Brazil helped him to gain 25 positions over the course of a sprint race and grand prix weekend, and appears to have put him in a position to challenge Verstappen's 14-point advantage in the remaining races. A season full of surprises and twists, however, makes it unlikely that the narrative at the end of the year will be as simple as "Hamilton's new engine helped him win the remaining races and take the championship". Penalties, strategy calls, DNFs and weather may still have a significant effect on this battle.

Like the driver's championship, each time the constructor's championship appears to be close to a conclusion, something happens to draw Mercedes and Red Bull back into close contention. Entering Brazil, for example, the two teams were separated by just one point. A double podium finish from Mercedes has expanded that lead to 11 points.

Also in the constructor's championship, Ferrari has surged ahead of McLaren after an excellent showing at Sao Paulo, with Ferrari claiming the 5th and 6th spots and taking a 31.5 point lead over their rivals. McLaren managed just one point in the race, with Lando Norris finishing 10th and Daniel Ricciardo retiring on lap 49.

News broke this week that Antonio Giovinazzi will be leaving the Alfa Romeo F1 team after this season and joining Formula E. He will be replaced with current F 2 driver Guanyu Zhou. Zhou will drive alongside Valtteri Bottas next season, as Kimi Räikkönen is planning to retire.

Let us know your thoughts entering the Qatar GP this weekend in the comments below, with so much still to be decided in the three remaining races.

Image courtesy of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN
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Mike Smith
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

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randomcallsign
Damage Inc said:
Who denies Lewis' wins?
Click to expand...
Take look at this season here at RD. Even on this thread. The exact same type of arguments.

Damage Inc said:
And there's nothing wrong with equality, as long as it really is equality. The problem is lumping ALL whites into the same category and ALL straight people into the same category is counter productive and just causes more problems IMO. For example when I was in school it was all about helping girls catch up with boys, fair enough....now for many many years girls have been out performing boys in school and I'm STILL waiting to see when boys will get some help. Some people need to fully understand what exactly "equal" means. Rashford has it right, his campaign is for disadvantaged kids.....of any background. Lewis would do well to follow that example IMO.
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Yes, the old "as long as it is true equality" chestnut, or translating "he should cater his message to me or shut up". Lewis hasn't lumped "all whites" or "all X/Y/Z" into the same category. Sometimes, speaking about certain topics is uncomfortable not just to those speaking, as often those topics will often come out of the blue in disconnected conversations.
You know, in a quote about Max / Ham vs Bottas / Pérez in terms of skill, the "racial divide" comes up as a topic somehow. And now you are talking about education disparities like it has any connection to what was talked about.

The dude talks about his experiences in motorsports and life. He doesn't have to cater to you. He doesn't really cater to me.
And that's OK.
 
Enagee
Can anyone please explain what happened to Pierre Gasly.. Seems he had an issue with DRS,
When Max was about to pass him.
 
LeSunTzu
He got a phone call from the boss that he was not racing Max. :D Anyway he had no pace and he said he didn't know why.
 
muzikant
good thing Gasly did that mistake.... otherwise Max would of course have never came second. are you trolling? what do you think Bottas has been doing exactly that for years in the service of our friend Lewis
 
Paul Glover
muzikant said:
good thing Gasly did that mistake.... otherwise Max would of course have never came second. are you trolling? what do you think Bottas has been doing exactly that for years in the service of our friend Lewis
Click to expand...
There you go, attacking Hamilton again. You sir have a problem, seek help.
 
Paul Glover
Enagee said:
Can anyone please explain what happened to Pierre Gasly.. Seems he had an issue with DRS,
When Max was about to pass him.
Click to expand...
Hard to know but out of the final corner he appears to run wide, on purpose or a genuine mistake only one man really knows. I like to think it was a genuine mistake, otherwise it undermines the sport. Understand cars in the same team doing it, but the sister team is too far for me.
 
muzikant
Paul Glover said:
There you go, attacking Hamilton again. You sir have a problem, seek help.
Click to expand...
who is attacking Hamilton and who is attacking Max Paul? I'm not attacking Hamilton at all right now. you seem very focused on me don't you? And that I have to seek help doesn't sound very nice. But I like Hamilton just not nice he acts like a superstar and spoiled kid if you want to know ohh now i'll attack him again... Max on the other side never gets attacked here.. :roflmao: that makes a difference It is clear to me that you are a Hamilton fan. But both sides both Hamilton fan boys and Max fan boys...here on RD defend their favorite rider.
 
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Damage Inc
randomcallsign said:
Take look at this season here at RD. Even on this thread. The exact same type of arguments.


Yes, the old "as long as it is true equality" chestnut, or translating "he should cater his message to me or shut up". Lewis hasn't lumped "all whites" or "all X/Y/Z" into the same category. Sometimes, speaking about certain topics is uncomfortable not just to those speaking, as often those topics will often come out of the blue in disconnected conversations.
You know, in a quote about Max / Ham vs Bottas / Pérez in terms of skill, the "racial divide" comes up as a topic somehow. And now you are talking about education disparities like it has any connection to what was talked about.

The dude talks about his experiences in motorsports and life. He doesn't have to cater to you. He doesn't really cater to me.
And that's OK.
Click to expand...
I don't recall seeing many post like that, unless we're interpreting things in a different way. e.g. any post that says Lewis isn't the GOAT etc isn't necessarily saying he's crap, but 99% of Lewis fans think that's what it means. Most people who regularly post in the F1 thread (even the Max fans) have often said they think Lewis is a top driver and a legend. Don't you understand that a rival fan hating your favourite is a compliment, do you think Max fans hate Mazepin?

Ah the old "chestnut" chestnut. When did I say he should cater his message to me? That's not equality either, he should cater his message to EVERYONE, that's the ONLY way to be truly equal. You want to know what a really uncomfortable topic is.....Whites have been oppressed/enslaved or how about Blacks can be racist towards Whites, nothing get's people spitting feathers than those two topics.

You were talking about "equality" I used the education system as an example of where an initial desire for equality can go wrong. Sorry if that went over your head.

I only mentioned that Lewis would be mored liked if he wasn't so divisive in his outlook and aims. He's had some racist knobs in his life, but I can guarantee FAR more decent whites have been nice and helped him on his way to 7 possibly 8 championships. But because of the actions of a minority it seems it's fair game to negatively label 100's of millions of people. I think that's wrong and I will damn well say it.
 
LeSunTzu
Damage Inc said:
I don't recall seeing many post like that, unless we're interpreting things in a different way. e.g. any post that says Lewis isn't the GOAT etc isn't necessarily saying he's crap, but 99% of Lewis fans think that's what it means. Most people who regularly post in the F1 thread (even the Max fans) have often said they think Lewis is a top driver and a legend. Don't you understand that a rival fan hating your favourite is a compliment, do you think Max fans hate Mazepin?

Ah the old "chestnut" chestnut. When did I say he should cater his message to me? That's not equality either, he should cater his message to EVERYONE, that's the ONLY way to be truly equal. You want to know what a really uncomfortable topic is.....Whites have been oppressed/enslaved or how about Blacks can be racist towards Whites, nothing get's people spitting feathers than those two topics.

You were talking about "equality" I used the education system as an example of where an initial desire for equality can go wrong. Sorry if that went over your head.

I only mentioned that Lewis would be mored liked if he wasn't so divisive in his outlook and aims. He's had some racist knobs in his life, but I can guarantee FAR more decent whites have been nice and helped him on his way to 7 possibly 8 championships. But because of the actions of a minority it seems it's fair game to negatively label 100's of millions of people. I think that's wrong and I will damn well say it.
Click to expand...
I'm genuinely curious to hear what Hamilton said that "negatively labels 100's of millions of people". If you have a link to a video or an interview, please share.
 
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