The 2021 season was full of drama and intrigue with euphoria for unlikely race winners, heartbreak for those who missed out, and of course the odd coming together.
Despite it all, four incidents between the two title challengers make our list for the moments that defined the season.
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SILVERSTONE: THE BIRTH OF THE ANIMOSITY
Up until the British Grand Prix the scrap for the championship had been reasonably clean but after the events on that Sunday the gloves clearly came off between the two rivals.
Starting from pole after a surprising Sprint Race victory a day earlier, Max Verstappen, with a 32-point lead in the championship, held on to first place through the early part of the opening lap, fending off a number of challenges from the chasing Lewis Hamilton. As the pair approached Copse the Dutchman had no idea how badly his day would end. Max swooped round to close the door and take the corner after Lewis had positioned his Merc up the inside, unfortunately for the Red Bull there was not enough space to make the move stick. Max Clipped Lewis’ front wing and sent himself for a 51G trip into the barriers.
The incident brought out a red flag, which allowed Hamilton to repair the damage to his car and get back into the race. After serving a 10 second penalty for the incident the Brit then went about charging through the field and eventually passing Charles Leclerc to take victory and claw back a monumental 26 points in the race for the title.
Max fans accused Lewis of causing the crash and felt he got off lightly with only a 10 second penalty while Lewis fans thought the Brit was unfairly punished for the Dutchman’s aggressive attempt at defending his position.
The neutrals though had no definitive answer to the question of whose fault it was but one thing was for sure: neither man would give and inch to the other in the battle for the championship.
MONZA: IS IT OK IF I PARK HERE???
The second Sprint Race of the season produced another example of the unyielding nature of the relationship between Max and Lewis.
Having stayed away from each other for the better part of 25 laps, a slow stop for each of the drivers saw them enter the first chicane side-by-side… One could almost feel the inevitability of a major altercation brewing.
Not one to back away from a fight, Verstappen slid his car round the outside of the right-handed entrance to the chicane, positioning himself on the inside for the proceeding left hander. Lewis was not about to pull out of the scrap and held his lie for entry into the second part of the chicane, which set off a chain of events that ended badly for both, which was actually the better outcome considering how much worse it could have been.
With track running out Max was forced up onto the curbs, which sent his Red Bull into the side of the Mercedes and, as the spinning wheels tangled, Max was catapulted up into the air before his car parked itself literally on top of Hamilton’s head.
Thankfully both men walked away from the crash unscathed, though for Lewis it could have been a lot worse had it not been for the halo stopping the right rear of the Red Bull from laying its full weight atop his head.
Despite the commentary team seeing very little wrong with Max’s action, Race Control deemed the Dutchman at fault for the incident and he copped a three-place grid penalty for the next race.
SAUDI ARABIA: ARE MY BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING?
By the time the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix arrived, the title race was red-hot with intensity. Hamilton needed a victory to draw level with Verstappen heading into the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
Lewis made the most of his start from pole position to retain the lead but when Mick Schumacher put his Hass into the wall the momentum swung the way of Max. Hamilton pitted under the safety car while Verstappen stayed out, only for the race to be red flagged, which allowed the Red Bull a free tyre change ahead of the restart, for which he was now on pole.
Verstappen cut the first corner to fend off a charge from Hamilton before the race was again red flagged for a huge crash involving Sergio Perez, Goerge Russell, and Nikita Mazepin. The indiscretion from the Dutchman did not go unnoticed by Race Control who ordered that Verstappen restart the race in third behind Hamilton and Esteban Ocon, who had found a way into second after the first restart.
A brave and brilliant dive down the inside of the first corner at the second restart saw Max again take the lead of the race from Lewis but that was not the end of the drama. As the Red Bull started to struggle on its medium tyres Hamilton closed the gap, and on lap 37 made a move at turn one. Verstappen defended aggressively, which sent both cars off the track and again Race Control had to intervene.
Max was ordered to give the place back to Lewis and in the confusion between all the parties about when and how they were going to be swapped around the Dutchman decided to ask the Brit if his brake lights were working.
Heading towards the pit straight at the end of lap 37 both Max and Lewis were playing for the advantage of the DRS detection line. Max slowed initially to let Lewis past and when the Merc declined to overtake the Red Bull driver slammed on the brakes catching the Brit by surprise. Lewis was not quick enough to react and slammed into the back of Max. Max was once again ordered to give the place back and obliged only to take the position back seconds later, which once again dragged Race Control into the mix and Max was for a third time asked to let Lewis by. The Dutchman duly obliged, this time to the satisfaction of the stewards, and with his tyres fading he effectively ended his hope of winning the race.
Hamilton cruised round the remaining laps to take victory and draw level on points with Verstappen heading to the season finale.
ABU DHABI: “IT’S CALLED A MOTOR RACE”
Unless you’re part of Red Bull or a fan of Max I think the general consensus is that it was in fact not a motor race, well at least the way it ended was not.
Lewis and Max were level on points and the season finale became a winner take all race.
Verstappen landed the first blow by taking pole position, but that advantage was instantly wiped out as Hamilton got off the line amazingly, to take the lead in the title decider. The dutchman attempted to fight back but his late lunge forced the Brit off the track. Lewis still managed to re-join ahead of Max and, despite the protestations of the Red Bull team and fans alike, Lewis was allowed to keep the place.
Hamilton then set off, building what looked to be an unassailable lead despite the efforts of Sergio Perez to slow him down. But all the advantage he had built up evaporated when a late crash by Nicholas Latifi brought out the safety car on lap 53 of a 58-lap race. Max responded by diving into the pits for a fresh set of softs, while Lewis was made to stay out and maintain track position.
When Max emerged from the pits he found himself five lapped-cars behind Lewis and the initial message from Race Control was that the lapped cars would not be allowed to unlap themselves which meant that Max would have had to pass all five before he was able to have a crack at Lewis. That was if the safety car was going to come in at all.
The laps that ensued seemed like an eternity as the teams lobbied Race Control to get the best outcome for respective drivers but just before the start of the final lap it was decided that the five cars between Hamilton and Verstappen would be allowed to pass so that the two title contenders could embark on a one-lap drag race for the title.
Of course, we all know how it played out… Max ended the Mercedes dominance over the driver's title and Toto and Lewis were left with the most unpalatable taste in their mouths; Toto’s cries of “No Michael, that was so not right” and Michael Masi’s reply of “It’s called a motor race” instantly becoming some of the most iconic radio transmission in F1 history.
WATCH: BEYOND ALL LIMITS - HAMILTON V VERSTAPPEN ON DSTV
Catch the final instalment of the three-part series, Beyond All Limits, which delves into the psyche of a Formula 1 driver and uncovers the mental and physical toll it takes to be crowned Formula 1 World Champion, focusing on the breath-taking battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in 2021.
Told by those in the know, several F1 world champions, experts and journalists showcase the agony and ecstasy of winning (and losing) the world championship, culminating in the jaw-dropping finale to the 2021 Formula 1 season.
BROADCAST DETAILS
Part 3 | Friday, 11 March
7pm | SS Motorsport
* Stream all the series finale on DStv *
