Back in March, before the 2021 Formula 1 season began, I posted 20 prediction polls about the year ahead. How many of your pre-season predictions for the 2021 F1 season came true? Find out below!
1. HOW MANY RACES WILL TAKE PLACE IN 2021
YOUR PREDICTION: 23
CORRECT ANSWER: 21 or 22
Formula 1 was originally scheduled to host 23 races in 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic caused changes to the calendar for the second year in a row. While races in China, Canada, Singapore, Japan and Australia were cancelled, races at Imola, Portimao, the Red Bull Ring, Istanbul Park and Losail were added in their place. In total, a record-breaking 22 Grands Prix took place over the course of 2021.
2. HOW MANY TEAMS WILL WIN A RACE?
YOUR PREDICTION: 3
CORRECT ANSWER: 4
Over half of you expected three or fewer teams to win a race in 2021 – but the number of different teams to win this year was actually four. Aside from championship rivals Mercedes and Red Bull, Alpine and McLaren were the other teams to score a victory this year.
3. WILL HAMILTON REACH 100 RACE WINS IN 2021?
YOUR PREDICTION: YES
CORRECT ANSWER: YES
Over 90% of you expected Lewis Hamilton to reach 100 wins this year – and he duly delivered. Hamilton became the first driver to reach a century of victories at the Russian Grand Prix.
4. HOW MANY TIMES WILL PEREZ OUT-QUALIFY VERSTAPPEN?
YOUR PREDICTION: 1, 2 or 3
CORRECT ANSWER: 1, 2 or 3
Sergio Perez out-qualified Max Verstappen twice this year, though only one of those times was due to a pace advantage. Perez out-qualified Verstappen in his second outing with Red Bull at Imola, where he qualified 0.052 seconds ahead of his team-mate. Perez also qualified ahead at the Russian Grand Prix, where Verstappen did not set a lap time.
5. HOW MANY PODIUMS WILL PEREZ RECORD?
YOUR PREDICTION: 4, 5 or 6
CORRECT ANSWER: 4, 5 or 6
Sergio Perez recorded five podium finishes in 2021. Aside from his win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he also finished third at the French, Turkish, United States and Mexican Grands Prix.
6. HOW MANY TIMES WILL ALONSO FINISH IN THE TOP 5?
YOUR PREDICTION: 3 or 4
CORRECT ANSWER: 1 or 2
Fernando Alonso finished in the top five twice in 2021. He finished fourth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which his team-mate won, and went on to record his first podium in seven years at the Qatar Grand Prix later in the year.
7. HOW MANY PODIUMS WILL ASTON MARTIN RECORD?
YOUR PREDICTION: 1 OR 2
CORRECT ANSWER: 1 OR 2
Was it one or was it two? Officially, only one. Sebastian Vettel finished as runner-up in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He also stood on the podium in Hungary, before being disqualified from the race.
8. WILL ANY DRIVER BE REPLACED?
YOUR PREDICTION: YES
CORRECT ANSWER: NO
There was just one driver replacement during the 2021 season. Kimi Raikkonen tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. As a result, he was replaced by Robert Kubica at both Zandvoort and Monza. Nikita Mazepin also missed the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after testing positive for COVID-19, but he was not replaced.
9. WHAT WILL FERRARI’S BEST RESULT BE?
YOUR PREDICTION: 3RD
CORRECT ANSWER: 1st or 2nd
While neither Ferrari driver was able to win a race in 2021, both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished as runner-up. Sainz finished as runner-up at the Monaco Grand Prix, while Leclerc finished second after leading most of the British Grand Prix.
10. HOW MANY TIMES WILL TSUNODA SCORE?
YOUR PREDICTION: 5-8 RACES
CORRECT ANSWER: 5-8 RACES
Yuki Tsunoda scored eight times in his maiden F1 season. His best result was fourth place at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
11. HOW MANY TIMES WILL HAAS REACH Q2?
YOUR PREDICTION: 1 OR 2
CORRECT ANSWER: 1 or 2
Mick Schumacher was the only Haas driver to make it out of Q1 this year. He did so twice, at the French Grand Prix and the Turkish Grand Prix.
12. HOW MANY POINTS WILL HAAS AND WILLIAMS SCORE COMBINED?
YOUR PREDICTION: 1-4 POINTS
CORRECT ANSWER: 10 or more points
While Haas failed to score this year, Williams picked up 23 points – their highest total since 2017. Nine of those points came from George Russell’s podium finish at the rain-shortened Belgian Grand Prix.
13. WHICH McLAREN DRIVER WILL SCORE MORE POINTS?
YOUR PREDICTION: DANIEL RICCIARDO
CORRECT ANSWER: LANDO NORRIS
Ahead of the 2021 season, over 80% of you expected Daniel Ricciardo to out-score Lando Norris over the course of the year. While Ricciardo recorded McLaren’s first win in nine years at the Italian Grand Prix, Norris scored 45 more points than the Australian this year.
14. HOW MANY DRIVERS WILL FAIL TO SCORE?
YOUR PREDICTION: 2
CORRECT ANSWER: 2
Two full time drivers failed to score in 2021. Neither Haas driver picked up points. Robert Kubica also failed to score in his two appearances with Alfa Romeo – though the Pole did finish ahead of Nikita Mazepin in the final standings!
12. WHERE WILL RUSSELL RACE IN 2022?
YOUR PREDICTION: MERCEDES
CORRECT ANSWER: MERCEDES
After months of speculation, it was finally confirmed ahead of the Italian Grand Prix that George Russell will partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2022.
16. HOW MANY CHAMPIONS WILL RETIRE AT THE END OF THE YEAR?
YOUR PREDICTION: 1
CORRECT ANSWER: 1
Of the four World Champions on the 2021 grid, only one retired at the end of the 2021 season. Kimi Raikkonen called time on his F1 career after 350 Grand Prix starts.
17. WHICH TEAM WILL FINISH 3RD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
YOUR PREDICTION: McLAREN
CORRECT ANSWER: FERRARI
McLaren won this poll by quite some margin, but Ferrari came out on top. The Scuderia’s consistent form in the latter stages of the championship saw them finish 48.5 points ahead of McLaren.
18. WHEN WILL THE TITLE BE DECIDED?
YOUR PREDICTION: WITH 2 OR 3 RACES TO GO
CORRECT ANSWER: AT THE FINAL RACE
Only 7.2% predicted that the title battle would go on to the final race of the year in Abu Dhabi. In the end, the destination of the Drivers’ Championship was decided on the very last lap of the season!
19. WHICH TEAM WILL WIN THE CONSTRUCTORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP?
YOUR PREDICTION: MERCEDES
CORRECT ANSWER: MERCEDES
Mercedes won the Constructors’ Championship for an eighth consecutive year. It extended their record for most successive championship wins.
20. WHO WILL BE THE 2021 FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPION?
YOUR PREDICTION: LEWIS HAMILTON
CORRECT ANSWER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
Over half of you expected Lewis Hamilton to retain his crown in 2021 – and he very nearly did! Max Verstappen controversially won his first title after passing the reigning champion on the final lap of the final race of the year!