In the status quo: Hamilton caught up with Verstappen in the overall Formula 1 standings after winning the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

First day

The Formula 1 season is rapidly approaching its finish line. There are only two stages left until the end of the most interesting World Championship in recent years. The series will end traditionally in Abu Dhabi, and before that the pilots were waiting for a completely new Grand Prix of the Saudi Accident. In the future, it will be held in the entertainment city of Kiddiya, which is being built from scratch, but for now, a circuit has been temporarily equipped for racing on the streets of Jeddah. The organizers have promised that this track will be the fastest among the city.

Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, the intrigue in the fight for the title escalated to the limit. More recently, Max Verstappen could boast of a 19-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton, but before the last two stages, the gap was reduced to only eight points. Although the Red Bull driver got the long-awaited chance to become world champion ahead of schedule, it was already difficult to call him the favorite in the confrontation with the Mercedes driver.

This was confirmed by the acquaintance with the long track, similar to the Spa-Francorchamps.

In Friday's first training session, Hamilton topped the protocol, 0.056 seconds ahead of Vertappen - a win that could have been symbolic, as Jeddah's lap is one of the longest on the Formula 1 calendar.

In the evening, when the sun went down and the conditions became more like racing, the Mercedes driver beat the leader of the overall standings by almost two tenths.

Between them were Hamilton's partner Valtteri Bottas and AlphaTauri's representative Pierre Gasly.

Relive the drama from Jeddah's second practice session 🍿 # Saudi ArabianGP 🇸🇦 # F1

- Formula 1 (@ F1) December 3, 2021

Qualification

On Saturday before qualifying, Verstappen made a return move and surpassed Hamilton's result in the last training session.

For the Mercedes driver, this free practice session could have ended with more unpleasant consequences.

Immediately after it, the British were summoned by the stewards - he was suspected of ignoring the double yellow flags.

In this mode, riders are instructed to slow down, otherwise they can get a five-position penalty on the starting field.

It was these sanctions that Verstappen received at the previous stage in Qatar, as a result of which he was forced to start sixth and could not take away the victory from Hamilton.

But the reigning world champion escaped punishment.

The stewards said that the mode was turned on by mistake, and there was no danger that required the flags to be posted.

But this was not the only infraction on the part of the Mercedes driver.

He also unjustifiably slowed down during a fast lap by Nikita Mazepin of Haas and nearly caused an accident.

For this, Hamilton received an official warning and a monetary fine, as well as an extra hassle before qualifying.

The fight for pole position really did not start in the best way for the vice-leader of the championship.

He made a big mistake during the first fast lap, and then did not improve the successful attempt, thus ending up in ninth place.

At the same time, Bottas, who showed the second result, had problems with the ignition, because of which his return to the track was called into question.

The best in the first session was Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez.

In the second segment, everything has changed dramatically.

Now Hamilton showed the fastest seconds, and behind him were both Red Bull pilots.

Bottas was still fixed the problems, and the Finn showed the fourth time.

The first four finished in a quarter of a second, so the final fight promised to be unpredictable.

At the right moment, Verstappen was able to add more and win the first attempt.

Hamilton responded in the second, beating the Dutchman by just 0.142 seconds.

The last word remained with the leader of the overall standings, but he failed - he touched the wall first in the first corner, and then in the last and completely crashed the car.

The pilot of the Red Bull also bypassed Bottas by a very insignificant 0.031 seconds.

For the fourth time this season, the entire first row went to Mercedes, and Hamilton led the starting field for the 103rd time in his career.

Quickest in the first two sectors of his final flying lap 🚀

And then Max Verstappen's hopes of pole are dashed on the last corner in Q3 #SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 # F1pic.twitter.com / Y6HyMjT1Dy

- Formula 1 (@ F1) December 4, 2021

Race

Sunday's race started very well for the German team.

Hamilton and Bottas calmly restrained Verstappen at the start and began to systematically create a lead over the Red Bull pilot.

The Mercedes drivers took turns in possession of the fastest lap, preventing anyone else from hoping for a bonus point.

Verstappen immediately began to lose quite a significant one and a half to two seconds to the leaders.

This continued until there was an accident involving Mick Schumacher. The Haas pilot lost control in a high-speed corner and crashed the car badly on a roadblock. A safety car drove onto the track, and many drivers, including Hamilton and Bottas, turned into the pits for fresh tires. Verstappen did not stop and was incredibly right. It soon became known that the restart of the race would take place from the spot, so that the Dutchman could change tires without losing first place. Alpine's Esteban Ocon and McLaren's Daniel Riccardo, who moved up to the top five, also benefited from this decision.

As soon as the race resumed, Hamilton tried to regain the lost position, but Verstappen reined in him harshly.

The Briton had to go on a wider trajectory and even miss Okon.

This struggle did not last long - in the middle of the peloton there was a massive blockage with the participation of Perez, Mazepin and George Russell of Williams.

The race had to be stopped again and started anew, only now Verstappen's leadership was questioned.

Management "Formula 1" held operational negotiations with Red Bull and demanded that its pilot stood behind Hamilton in exchange for refusing to investigate the incident between them.

🚩 RED FLAG (LAP 15/50) 🚩

The red flag flies again - Perez, Mazepin and Russell are all out after a melee on the restart # SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 # F1pic.twitter.com / J6fM3pn9cY

- Formula 1 (@ F1) December 5, 2021

But this did not hold back the leader of the championship. When the race started for the third time, he bypassed both Ocon and Hamilton. The two irreconcilable rivals began to show top class aerobatics - both of them showed the best times for themselves on each next lap. But a small gap, not even reaching one and a half seconds, remained. It could well melt after another incident involving Yuki Tsunoda, whose AlphaTauri caught fire right on the track, but still the organizers did not interrupt such a fierce struggle.

Although it was worthwhile to cool the ardor of the racers.

When Hamilton got within attack distance, Verstappen again pushed his opponent roughly to the side.

Both cut off the turn, and the Dutchman was the clear culprit in the situation.

The team warned him that the Briton still needed to be allowed in to avoid a trial.

The Red Bull pilot agreed and slowed down, but no one told Hamilton that he had the right to seize the lead.

Instead of overtaking, a Mercedes representative buried himself in an opponent and broke his wing.

Verstappen considered that his conscience was clear, but just in case he missed the pursuers again and again overtook him.

LAP 38/50

MAX AND LEWIS COLLIDE!

Verstappen is instructed to give the place to Hamilton, but they make contact 😱 # SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 # F1pic.twitter.com / QnRaWoaYzP

- Formula 1 (@ F1) December 5, 2021

However, the stewards insisted that justice had not yet been restored to Hamilton.

Verstappen received a five-second penalty, after which the winner of the race became known.

In addition, the Briton himself still took the lead thanks to his incredible speed, which allowed him to set better laps further.

Hamilton celebrated the victory in the first-ever Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and completely closed the gap with Verstappen in the world championship standings.

Both pilots scored 369.5 points by the last stage - in Abu Dhabi the champion will be the one who finishes earlier.

The podium in Jeddah was completed by Bottas, who managed to overtake Okon at the last moment.