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The inaugural F1 Qatar Grand Prix gave us mega performances from the likes of Lewis Hamilton, who dominated qualifying and the race, and Fernando Alonso, who stepped on the F1 podium once again for the first time in seven years. Eight points now separate the two title contenders. Max Verstappen is still in the lead after successfully clawing his way up to P2 in Qatar after starting in P7, while Hamilton bagged the win comfortably from pole position.
The intense race, which saw daring overtakes and pit strategies, marked a fitting end to the final triple header of the 2021 season.
In two weeks' time, F1 will be heading to a new circuit for a second consecutive time. The Saudi Arabia Grand Prix will be held from December 3-5 on the streets of Jeddah. The high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit is set to give us an unpredictable race before the series heads out to Abu Dhabi for the season finale.
Evolution of the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for 2021
Despite putting on processional races, the infamous Yas Marina Circuit has delivered a few spectacular finales as well. This year, the circuit has gone through some modifications in an effort to spice up the racing.
The restructuring of the track is set to give higher opportunities for overtaking and add to the possibility of ending the season on a dramatic note. The battle for both the drivers' and constructors' championships is tighter than ever. With two races left, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are separated by just eight points while Red Bull F1 are snapping at Mercedes' heels, just five points behind.
We are also likely to witness great battles between outgoing Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull F1's Sergio Perez for P3 in the standings. The two are separated by 13 points, advantage Bottas.
All of these equations will be whittled down further over the next two races as F1's three-race Middle Eastern swing winds down.
