2021 Report by teams – Part 1

10th: Haas (0 points)

Qualifying: Schumacher 18 – 4 Mazepin

Race: Schumacher 15 – 6 Mazepin

Günther Steiner had warned at the beginning of the year: the 2021 season would be a transition season for Haas in order to develop the 2022 car for the new technical regulations. Therefore, the Haas VF-21 was very similar to its predecessor, the VF-20 from 2020. The American car did not benefit from any development during the season, and this was evident in the results. As the only team to not score any points, the cars in the colors of the Russian flag were more noticeable for their off-track excursions and the bickering between their drivers. In Baku and Zandvoort, for example, their battles on track could have been very costly for their team. The head-to-head is clear. Mick Schumacher clearly outperformed his teammate throughout the season, with significant gaps in qualifying for certain races. Worse still, Mazepin finished 21st in the championship, behind Robert Kubica who only competed in two Grand Prix.

9th: Alfa Romeo (13 points)

Qualifying: Giovinazzi 13 – 7 Räikkönen

Race: Giovinazzi 10 – 10 Räikkönen

Alfa Romeo’s season can be described as disappointing. Although the Italian-Swiss team scored 5 more points than in 2020, they dropped a position in the standings to Williams. Only six point finishes can be credited to Frédéric Vasseur’s team, which will see its driver lineup completely renewed in 2022. Kimi Räikkönen may have stayed in the sport for one year too many. Almost non-existent in qualifying, with several eliminations in Q3, the Finn has proven to us that his decision to retire from F1 was the right one. On-track mistakes, like his collision with Vettel in Austria, and a lackluster race pace made him realize that his best years were behind him. His Italian teammate’s season has been one of missed opportunities. Despite a clear improvement in pure performance, Antonio Giovinazzi squandered too many chances to help his team score more points. This was the case, for example, at Monza where he was running in sixth place before missing a braking point and retiring. His results convinced the management to replace him, and Alfa Romeo will have a completely new look next season.

8th: Williams (23 points)

Qualifying: Russell 20 – 2 Latifi

Race: Russell 16 – 6 Latifi

After three seasons that saw them finish last in the championship, 2021 marked a return to form for the Williams team. With 2 double points finishes and a podium, the Grove team hadn’t celebrated like this in a long time. George Russell once again showed everyone that he deserved a place in a top team. This will be accomplished in 2022. Despite the lack of a true race in Belgium, his incredible qualifying lap the day before was deserving enough to earn him his first career podium. His Canadian teammate Nicholas Latifi had a season with a high point and a huge low point. His 7th place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix will remain as his best result in 2021. Above all, let’s remember from his season his off-track excursion at Abu Dhabi towards the end of the race, which had a considerable impact on the outcome of the World Championship. Finally, the year 2021 was marked by the passing of Frank Williams, founder of the eponymous team who, who knows, will quickly regain their position at the front.

7th: Aston Martin (77 points)

Qualifying: Vettel 14 – 8 Stroll.

Race: Stroll 13 – 9 Vettel

The colossal investments made by Lawrence Stroll and the promises seen in 2020 should have allowed Aston Martin to perform better in the 2021 season. However, this was without taking into account a poorly designed car and drivers who fell short of expectations. In his third season with the Silverstone team, Lance Stroll had the opportunity to become its leader. However, he failed in his quest and went through the season like a shadow. He was undoubtedly the least talked about driver in 2021. With the numerous unpredictable races that took place last year, the Canadian could have taken advantage of the circumstances and achieved some outstanding results. But that was not the case. On the contrary, his four-time world champion teammate, thanks to his racing knowledge and experience, managed to step on the podium twice (one of which was later revoked). Sebastian Vettel seemed to have integrated well into his new environment after a very difficult final season with Ferrari in 2020. Despite finishing 7th in the constructors’ championship, the overall assessment is disappointing, and the future management of the team with green cars has a lot of work ahead to turn things around.

6th: AlphaTauri (142 points)

Qualifying: Gasly 21 – 1 Tsunoda

Race: Gasly 17 – 5 Tsunoda

With 16 Top 6 qualifications in 22 sessions, the AlphaTauri AT02 has proven to be a fast and competitive car. With Pierre Gasly at the wheel, it even performed miracles by finishing on the podium in Baku and consistently securing respectable positions behind the two Mercedes and Red Bull leaders. The French driver fought alone against the competition for a long time and did everything he could to secure the fifth place that eventually went to Alpine. This year was a confirmation for the Normandy-born driver, and he successfully became the leader of the Faenza team, establishing himself as one of the stalwarts of the F1 grid. The statistics against his teammate prove it. Rookie Yuki Tsunoda was often overshadowed by Gasly. If it weren’t for his sometimes erratic driving, clumsy statements, and inconsistent results, the Japanese driver would have certainly helped the likeable Italian team achieve a higher position in the standings. He woke up too late in the season, but with a year of experience and a fiery Pierre Gasly like this year, the promises are there for the next season.