The mistakes Red Bull cannot afford to repeat in F1 2021's title fight climax

OPINION: Red Bull has had Formula 1’s fastest package for most of 2021, but in several of the title run-in events it has wasted the RB16B’s potential. It cannot afford to do so again with Lewis Hamilton motoring back towards Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings with two rounds remaining

Alex Kalinauckas Nov 23, 2021, 2:59 PM

Upd: Nov 26, 2021, 6:05 PM

Momentum is critical in motorsport. There's the obvious reason of physics, but it's also a tangible perception stemming from results. It can have positive and negative impacts on competitors. In Formula 1 2021's endgame, momentum has been swinging wildly between the title protagonists.

Just after Mercedes took assured wins in Russia and Turkey (with bit of help from the weather at Sochi), Red Bull's Austin surprise and stunning Mexico domination took Max Verstappen 19 points clear of Lewis Hamilton. But he hit back majestically in Brazil and Qatar – two races that had been expected to favour Red Bull.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.