Lewis Hamilton — 2021 season

Lewis Hamilton's 2021 Formula 1 season with Mercedes AMG F1 represented a significant departure from the team's prior dominance, marked by an intense, season-long championship battle against Max Verstappen.

Going in

Having secured seven Drivers' Championships and with Mercedes dominating the turbo-hybrid era since 2014, Hamilton entered 2021 aiming for an unprecedented eighth title. The Mercedes W12, while still competitive, faced a formidable challenge from Red Bull Racing's RB16B, which appeared to have the edge on certain circuits. This setup signaled a shift from the clear performance advantage Mercedes had often enjoyed, setting the stage for a championship fight that would go down to the final lap.

How it played out

The season began strongly for Hamilton, securing victories in three of the first four races: Bahrain, Portugal, and Spain. This early momentum, however, was soon met by Red Bull's resurgence. The championship lead frequently exchanged hands, with Hamilton demonstrating his strategic acumen and racecraft. He amassed 8 wins and 17 podium finishes from 22 races, accumulating 387.5 points. Despite this impressive tally, the season was not without its challenges. A rare DNF occurred at the Italian Grand Prix due to a collision, and a P15 finish in Azerbaijan after a brake magic error highlighted the fine margins of the title fight. For context, drivers like Nico Hülkenberg — 2018 season often navigated seasons with significantly less competitive machinery, making Hamilton's consistent front-running performances under pressure particularly notable. The full season standings can be reviewed on the Formula 1 official site.

Defining moments

Several races underscored the fluctuating fortunes of Hamilton's 2021 campaign. His P7 finish at Monaco, a circuit where Mercedes struggled, was an early indicator of the competitive shift. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw a pivotal clash with Verstappen, resulting in a victory for Hamilton after a 10-second penalty. Later in the season, Hamilton delivered standout performances, notably at the São Paulo Grand Prix where he climbed from a grid penalty-affected P10 to win, and subsequent victories in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These late-season triumphs put him level on points with Verstappen heading into the final race. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, however, concluded with a controversial safety car restart, leading to Hamilton finishing P2 and narrowly missing out on the championship. The intensity of this season is a significant chapter in the history of the .