2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ||||
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Race 22 of 22[1] in the 2021 Formula One World Championship
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Race details | ||||
Date | 12 December 2021 | |||
Official name | Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 | |||
Location | Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |||
Course | Permanent racing facility | |||
Course length | 5.281 km (3.281 miles) | |||
Distance | 58 laps, 306.183 km (190.253 miles) | |||
Weather | Clear | |||
Attendance | 153,000[2] | |||
Pole position | ||||
Driver | Red Bull Racing-Honda | |||
Time | 1:22.109 | |||
Fastest lap | ||||
Driver |
![]() | Red Bull Racing-Honda | ||
Time | 1:26.103 on lap 39 (lap record) | |||
Podium | ||||
First | Red Bull Racing-Honda | |||
Second | Mercedes | |||
Third | Ferrari | |||
Lap leaders |
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021) was a Formula One motor race held on 12 December 2021 at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Contested over a distance of 58 laps, the race was the twenty-second and final round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship. The race decided both the Drivers' and Constructors' championships; Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both had 369.5 points coming into the race.
Hamilton led most of the race and appeared on course to win what would have been a record eighth World Drivers' Championship, having taken the lead at the start of the race at turn 1 on the first lap. However, Verstappen was the eventual winner, overtaking Hamilton on the final lap after a controversial safety car restart in the last moments of the race. The FIA thus conducted an inquiry into the race which led to a restructuring of race control including the replacement of Michael Masi as race director and amendments to the safety car rules. That inquiry subsequently concluded that the race officials had misapplied the then-regulations due to human error, but confirmed the results.
Verstappen's win secured his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship of his career by eight points from Hamilton, and Red Bull Racing's first since 2013. Mercedes won their eighth consecutive Formula One World Constructors' Championship, setting a new record. The Grand Prix was also the final race for 2007 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen; the 42-year-old Finn retired from Formula One after a two-decade career spanning (a then record setting) 349 Grand Prix starts.
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