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Ratings | Red Bull maximising the package with Perez and the strategy

Ratings | Red Bull maximising the package with Perez and the strategy

13-12-2021 13:45
6

GPblog.com

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a chaotic finale to the 2021 Formula One season. Mercedes were crowned the constructors' world title, but which teams performed best at the Yas Marina Circuit?

Mercedes: 8

Mercedes lost the world title with Lewis Hamilton due to bad luck, but the team could've potentially tried something different. In the safety car period, an option to pit was potentially open, but Mercedes stayed in. They were perhaps too conservative in many of those situations, while the car was much faster than Red Bulls. The team was too keen to avoid a duel with Verstappen, but as a result, that duel came about.

Red Bull Racing: 10

Red Bull Racing made the most of an inferior car in Abu Dhabi. The Austrians can be blamed for Verstappen's lack of power in the second half of the season, but they pulled out all the stops in Abu Dhabi to secure the world title. Sergio Perez in particular was used to his best advantage, but the strategic choices were also perfect throughout the race.

McLaren: 6.5

McLaren slipped in the second phase of the season and lost third place of the Constructors to Ferrari. Lando Norris put in a great qualifying performance in the MCL35M, but on Sunday he suffered a puncture.

Aston Martin: 5.5

Aston Martin never recovered from this season's rule changes and as a result, finished outside the points in Abu Dhabi. The car will need to be a lot better in 2022 if Lawrence Stroll's ambitions are to be realised.

Alpine: 8

Alpine secured fifth place in the Constructors' standings with a solid finish. As a factory team, this is not yet where Alpine wants to be, but all gauges are set for 2022.

Ferrari: 8

Ferrari closed out the 2021 Formula One season with a podium for Carlos Sainz. The Italian team did everything they could in the closing stages of the season to finish third among the constructors and they succeeded. A handsome achievement after the deep fall of 2020.

AlphaTauri: 9

AlphaTauri on P4 and P5 in Abu Dhabi. On a circuit where power plays such a big role, you wouldn't have expected that, but it wasn't AlphaTauri's first unique result this year. With P6 the team equalled its best performance in history and was very close to Alpine's fifth place. It is extraordinary how AlphaTauri continues to compete with this kind of big teams.

Alfa Romeo: 3

With both drivers dropping out, Alfa Romeo's season ends on a low note, having already lost the battle for P8 to Williams this year.

Haas: 3

Haas have said from day one in 2021 that they are only concerned with 2022 and it has shown in their performance. There is now a lot of pressure on the team to actually perform in 2022 to make up for this 2021 misfire.

Williams: 3

Williams are ending the season on a sad note. The pace was not there in the final stages of the season after a fine eighth-place finish in the constructors' standings.