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Rain is often referred to as a big "equalizer" in F1 in terms of car performance and allows pure driving to stand out and be rewarded. It's no secret that money plays a massive role in the sport, with larger teams that have more financial backing essentially commanding the whole grid. With rain falling across the track, however, the tricky wet conditions call for precision, concentration, and sheer talent, irrespective of the superiority of the car.
Drivers who manage to make minimal mistakes and optimize the opportunity to stand out irrespective of the limited capabilities of the car are often the ones who take the top steps of wet weather race podiums. George Russell's phenomenal qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix is a clear example of how rain can show the real potential of a driver. The Briton took what is unquestionably one of the slowest cars on the 2021 F1 grid to the provisional pole and then finished second only to Max Verstappen. Such races, where the underdog comes on top, give fans some of the most exciting battles.
F1 2021's top races in the wet
#3 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Wet weather races are most anticipated by fans and in 2021, the first of such chaotic, rainy races was witnessed at the very second Grand Prix in Imola. The drama started on the formation lap itself with the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc spinning out after losing control with his intermediate tires. The opening lap then saw chaotic overtakes, with Lewis Hamilton losing the lead to title rival Max Verstappen. The Briton was forced wide in the Tamburello chicane after an intense wheel-to-wheel battle. If this wasn't bad enough for him, he locked up at the Tosa hairpin and slid off the road and into the gravel on lap 31, giving Verstappen a massive time advantage in the lead.
Things started to change up very quickly for the Mercedes driver, however. A high-speed collision between Valtteri Bottas and George Russell on the very next lap of the race brought out the safety car. This subsequently gave Hamilton the opportunity to unlap himself and eventually fight his way up to second. With several collisions and three retirements, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix gave us one of the most nail-biting race of the season.
#2 Hungarian Grand Prix
A disastrous start to the Hungarian Grand Prix knocked out Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll and Lando Norris in a pile-up on the opening lap, already making for one of the most exciting races of the season. The Red Bull of Max Verstappen and the McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo endured severe damage to the car as a result of the chaos and, consequently, had most of their race compromised. In one of the most bizarre moments of the race, the subsequent red flag restart saw every single remaining driver pit for slicks as the track started to dry up. Only race leader Lewis Hamilton chose otherwise, becoming the sole driver starting from the grid.
The decision heavily cost him an easy win. After the Briton came out of the pits with new tires on the next lap, a brilliant defense from Fernando Alonso allowed Hamilton to make it up only to second, allowing Esteban Ocon to take a phenomenal maiden race victory. With six retirements in the end, the Hungaroring gave us one of the craziest races of the season.
#1 Russian Grand Prix
The Russian Grand Prix was one of the most thrilling yet devastating races of the 2021 F1 season. Following a phenomenal McLaren 1-2 at the Italian Grand Prix, fan favorite Lando Norris took his maiden pole position at the Sochi Auditorium. While the Briton lost his lead to former team-mate Carlos Sainz after turn 1 of the opening lap, he confidently took it back on lap 13. Norris then went on a mega drive through most of the race, leading the pack until things swiftly started to switch up.
The McLaren driver bravely held off seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton for several laps before the rain picked up significantly, forcing most drivers to pit for intermediates. Norris, however, could almost taste the champagne from what would have been a glorious maiden victory and decided to stay out and avoid risking his lead against his compatriot. With two laps to go, the 22-year-old could simply not find a grip with his slicks and went off, finishing the race in a heartbreaking seventh. Hamilton, who had pitted for the new tires, comfortably took the lead as Verstappen fought his way up to second from the back of the grid while Carlos Sainz finished the race in third.
