Rate the race: 2021 Qatar Grand Prix

47 comments on “Rate the race: 2021 Qatar Grand Prix”

1. 

   Nitzo (@webtel)
   21st November 2021, 15:31

   Interesting race to say the least.
   Terrific result for Alpine.
   Strong result for Lance.
   Slightly questionable strategy calls from Alpha Tauri.
2. 

   Biker56 (@biker56)
   21st November 2021, 15:33

   9 for Fernando’s podium. How can people say F1 is predictable?
   1. 

      S
      22nd November 2021, 10:28

      Who were the other two people on the podium? How can people say F1 isn’t predictable?
      1. 

         Biker56 (@biker56)
         22nd November 2021, 11:15

         So, first, we have the dominant driver of this era in a era dominating car. Second we have potentially the next dominant driver, in a tremendously competitive, but looks like a tricky to drive, car.
         But we do NOT see pure car dominance – or we would see cars finishing in pairs. We have a genuine competition for drive and manufacturer championships this year.
         I watch F1 and see exciting tactics, skill, luck, strategies, politics, mind games, etc., and enjoy the sport for what it is.
         I notice others (not pointing a finger at anyone) only look at one aspect, and complain. Sometimes I wonder why some people bother with following the sport at all.
         And every era of F1 has had someone dominating, and always for a reason. If you don’t like it, look down the field. We have the 20 (OK, 19) best drivers in the world, ALL of whom deserve our respect, in the best machinery. There’s always a story…
         Fernando drove a champion’s race in a car that should not have been there – he was in control the entire race.
         Anyway, I really enjoyed the race.
3. 

   Jere (@jerejj)
   21st November 2021, 15:34

   Better race than I expected.
4. 

   MXMXD (@mxmxd)
   21st November 2021, 15:37

   Not great, and in a way a bit artificial, but a bit thrilling nonetheless. Hesitating between 6 and 7.
   1. 

      MacLeod (@macleod)
      22nd November 2021, 8:09

      Indeed, i gave it a 7 for the thrilling end….
5. 

   johnt1788 (@johnt1788)
   21st November 2021, 15:38

   Yeah. Not bad. Was expecting it to be far more processional than it was.
6. 

   Red Andy (@red-andy)
   21st November 2021, 15:38

   No contest at the front and the only action of note was some DRS motorway passes. Reminded me of the rest of the turbo hybrid era. A generous 2.
7. 

   Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
   21st November 2021, 15:38

   Solid 7 I’d say.

   Good racing through the pack and brilliant result for Fernando and Alpine. Would have been awesome if we’d had green flag to the end and he’d hung on vs Perez.
8. 

   Keith Campbell (@keithedin)
   21st November 2021, 15:39

   Unfortunately the race for 1st and 2nd was over by lap 4, but was quite fun watching the battle for P3. Weird strategy choice for Perez, and bad luck for Bottas, but well deserved and long overdue podium for Alonso. Gave it a 7 overall.
9. 

   Imre (@f1mre)
   21st November 2021, 15:39

   What a poor track. Most of the corners look exactly the same. There are no sorroundings. The lights maybe take away from, not add to the spectacle. I hope they modify it for 2023 to give it some kind of character.
   1. 

      Gusmaia
      21st November 2021, 15:42

      Fans: We dont like Barcelona track.
      FIA: I hear you. Here is a Barcelona track in the Middle East.
      1. 

         hobo (@hobo)
         22nd November 2021, 3:05

         Accurate comment is accurate.
   2. 

      Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
      21st November 2021, 17:58

      IMO we’ve seen the best racing of the season, no fight for the win though.
      1. 

         Gusmaia
         21st November 2021, 22:49

         I have to disagree. Just check the timelapse on F1Visualized YT channel and it becomes clear that, after lap 3, only Bottas and Perez did proper overtakes. The rest of the position change came from pitstops.
10. 

    Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
    21st November 2021, 15:39

    8/10. The race was really good and i was generally really happy with the circuit. I mean Losail is a well known circuit for bikes but i didn’t know how it would translate in car racing. It definitely passed the test today
11. 

    hahostolze (@hahostolze)
    21st November 2021, 15:40

    Car-breaking aside, Losail was a much better race track than anticipated. Not so bad for either overtaking or following. Sectors a lot like Austin. Quite liked it.
12. 

    Adam (@rocketpanda)
    21st November 2021, 15:41

    Perez’s race was pretty impressive, as was Alonso’s run to 3rd. But it wasn’t a good race.
13. 

    GoldenGaeTea (@retroka)
    21st November 2021, 15:42

    6. Very standard race, DRS was too powerful, and this race has some drama. It reminds me to 2009’s races. Still better than I expected.
14. 

    BLS (@brightlampshade)
    21st November 2021, 15:42

    A strong 7 from me, nothing outstanding but plenty of interest.
15. 

    Jim from US (@jimfromus)
    21st November 2021, 15:46

    As much as I hated the non call last week I think it caused all drivers to race aggressively this race.
16. 

    spoutnik (@spoutnik)
    21st November 2021, 15:51

    Alonso impressive as always!
    The Alpine hasn’t always been there this year but he’s been on the ball at almost every race, and this time the stars aligned.
    Alpine making great gains against Alpha Tauri, a very good weekend for them.

    Why then Norris, Gasly and Perez pitted is a mystery. True that tires were kind of exploding but still they gave up too many positions.
    1. 

       Esploratore (@esploratore1)
       22nd November 2021, 0:19

       Norris surprised me too because I thought it might’ve been a challenge for perez to re-overtake him, but they said immediately he had a puncture.
17. 

    David BR (@david-br)
    21st November 2021, 15:52

    Good not great, 7 too. The track looks good, they just need to sort out the DRS (too strong). And the tyres, obviously.
18. 

    Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
    21st November 2021, 16:11

    I’m also going with a 7.
    Better than either drivers or spectators expected it to be I think.
    Alonso getting on the podium made it double plus good for me though ;)
19. 

    David (@davidjwest)
    21st November 2021, 16:20

    6 or 7 from me but went for 6 as the last few laps were ruined with the VSC.
20. 

    hyoko
    21st November 2021, 16:27

    After Max Verstappen got swindled out of his front line position and Pierre Gasly failed to do his duty in T1, the race lost pretty much all interest in the WDC championship fight. And DRS was way too powerful in the straight.
    It was a foregone conclusion that Max would swiftly get to P2 but the Merc was way faster and had plenty of advantage by then. Max’s only chance was a good start and getting ahead in T1, but after lap 2 with DRS there is no way he could avoid a highway pass in the straight (well there is a way but not a pretty one. Well deserved, though)
    Some interesting midfield battles, Fernando Alonso on a long overdue podium and Valtteri Bottas getting feisty with the team. Just enough for 3/10.
    1. 

       MacLeod (@macleod)
       22nd November 2021, 8:12

       As Max fan (and Lewis) he wasn’t swindled from the front spot if there were flags waved (Even if they shouldn’t be waved) you get a penaulty very simple indeed and something the FIA should check if they could improve the system marshall pressing a button inside the post which triggers flags and electronic system or something like that.
21. 

    Neil (@neilosjames)
    21st November 2021, 16:39

    I’d say a 7, +1 for Alonso getting a podium… P1 and P2 were more or less doing time trials, but what happened behind them (apart from the tyre failures) was far more fun than anything I expected this circuit to provide.
22. 

    grapmg (@)
    21st November 2021, 16:52

    8. expected maybe a first lap lead by alonso or gasly but first place was soon decided and would have been Hamiltons anyway. Good start by Max en crucial move to get in front of Bottas right away. After that prediction for the first and second place was pretty clear. Still some nice battles for 3th and lower places made it a good race to watch
23. 

    Horacio
    21st November 2021, 16:54

    Ok, I have to say it: I can’t stand those DRS motorway overtakes. It made things way too easy today.
24. 

    John Toad (@)
    21st November 2021, 17:51

    An middlingly interesting race so a middingly score of 5.
25. 

    Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
    21st November 2021, 18:01

    9/10. No fight for the lead but that aside everything else made up for it, cars looked fast, the race was dynamic and cars managed to follow each other. F1 has to take lessons from the bike tracks as all of them have provided the best f1 I have watched since 09.
26. 

    baasbas
    21st November 2021, 20:36

    Can we rate the TV direction too? Lowering the bar yet AGAIN. I know you can’t capture everything but for crying out loud, you could SEE Ocon come back at Perez and STILL YOU CUT TO SOME FANS ?!?1? …and not for the first time…
    The pictures of a waving Hamilton were really nice also. Except for the Ocon train fighting to the line unseen..
    Really felt like punching a face just then
    1. 

       Tricky (@tricky)
       21st November 2021, 20:52

       Yes, that was cutting to a Stroll replay in Monaco level of direction.
27. 

    Patrick (@paeschli)
    21st November 2021, 21:28

    3/10 for me. That VSC killed all enjoyment for me. With Vertsopan starting second we could have had a good fight for the win. Instead it was a snorefest up front, some manufactured tyre drama ruining the order and pit stop strategies and an undeserved podium for Alonso.
28. 

    ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
    21st November 2021, 21:38

    Once again, qualification was more entertaining than the race.
    1. 

       Gusmaia
       21st November 2021, 22:51

       Dont write this. Brawn will count it as support for sprint quali… haaha
29. 

    John H (@john-h)
    21st November 2021, 23:43

    Pretty terrible race I thought at a soulless place with hardly any fans. Alonso getting the podium was great, but as a race it was more like a 3 or 4, a couple of battles here and there, enjoyed Perez coming through a bit. No real battle for the lead though and tyre failures were not to be applauded.
30. 

    Jockey Ewing
    21st November 2021, 23:43

    Better than the pre weeken expectations from the media, but not very exceptional as a race, apart from:
    – the track had a nice flow
    – overtaking was not impossible
    – Verstappen’s (and of corse some other driver’s) nice start
    – the Perez vs Ocon duel
    – Hamilton’s hot pole lap, huh how that engine revved even through the corners (feels like they have really found something on the tech side, as Mercedes is now good at the twisty sections as well, although imo the stalled diffuser for the straights allows higher downforce for the corners, and the higher engine modes used contributes a lot to it as well)
    – and Alonso on the podium again… no matter how well Perez was catching up, at the latest stages of the race I wanted to see Alonso on the podium instead. It was a really remarkable podium if we consider how great this trio was on it.

    Although many of these are not race events, more like sympathetic results, so initially I thought the 7 is fair for this race, but maybe a feels bit more after gathering up the elements of this (maybe incomplete) list.

    For Tsunoda I would not gorce these get him into Q3 even if he needs softs to do that most of the times recently, as the durability of softs maybe compromises his races as they have a quite decent car by now, but this way he sinks into or even below the dense midfield after the first stops this way. Maybe he could do more by starting on mediums or hards if they would go only for Q2 with him currently.
    1. 

       Jockey Ewing
       21st November 2021, 23:45

       gorce -> force

       Sinking of Gasly was sad to see as well after this quali pace + decent first stint. Alpha Tauri is a good candidate of the botched strategy award at this race.
31. 

    Esploratore (@esploratore1)
    22nd November 2021, 0:15

    1 (2%)
    2 (2%)
    3 (6%)
    4 (4%)
    5 (9%)
    6 (17%)
    7 (35%)
    8 (20%)
    9 (3%)
    10 (1%)
    Total Voters: 173

    Deserves an 8 imo, lots of battles and some very interesting ones between perez and the alpines lasting several turns, however there was basically only the main straight to try an overtake and there wasn’t really a battle for the lead.
32. 

    hobo (@hobo)
    22nd November 2021, 3:07

    I’m not sure if it’s rose-colored glasses because it’s the first time at a new circuit for F1 or what. But that was a supremely dull race. It’s difficult to recall one that had as little going on as this one.
33. 

    Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
    22nd November 2021, 10:08

    6/10 for me. I guess it was a little better than expected and there was a bit of tension involved over the placings below the first two. Great drive by Alonso to he had a good weekend overall. There were some interesting strategy calls and the tyre failures added a bit of late drama.

    However, the circuit has no character and is quite one dimensional. There is pretty much one pacing place and that needs to be aided by DRS. It might be better when we have the new car designs in 2023.
34. 

    S
    22nd November 2021, 10:41

    I’d say it got a solid 4. Without the tyre failures it would have barely made a 3 though.
    The truly astonishing (enormous) gap between 1st and 3rd is another poor showing from F1, yet it is not all that unusual.

    The only ‘highlights’ for me were that there was more than one tyre strategy in play, and we had someone different finishing on the podium.

    Overall – yet another F1 race I don’t expect to see in any highlights reels. Yawn.
35. 

    Mark Reville (@myrrve)
    22nd November 2021, 12:15

    Another inept display from Perez. He is not fulfilling the role he was recruited to do. They must regret hiring him. How can he be deemed superior to Gasly and Albon? The Losail venue lacks the “wow” factor. The track lighting seemed strange – not bright enough. I hope Malaysia returns to the calendar. That venue really showcases night racing at it’s finest.

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