F1 racing has become a household name ever since the race league was featured in a docuseries on Netflix a few years ago, just before the pandemic hit. While Season 4 is slated for Late February or Early March of 2022, the drivers head to historic, and typically the final leg, Etihad Airways ABU DHABI Grand Prix in ABU DHABI for what could be the biggest race in many years.
The magnitude of the race is due to Max Verstappen’s effort to unthrone the legendary Lewis Hamilton, who has won 6 out of the last 7 drivers championships, including 4 in a row. Hamilton owns 7 total titles yet is staring down the barrel of the 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch driver who is sometimes disliked because of his robotic-like demeanor.
How close is the title chase? Well in a rare occurrence, the drivers are tied. According to Top Gear (2021), “This has only happened once before in F1 history, back in 1974 when McLaren’s Emerson Fittipaldi and Ferrari’s Clay Regazzoni went to Watkins Glen in Upstate New York tied on 52 points apiece” (para. 1).
These two have battled all year, and with plenty of controversies. They have made contact several times this season, with multiple penalties by both drivers, and Abu Dhabi’s race typically provides lots of collision opportunities. Add that into the storyline that Verstappen has reportedly shut off Netflix from any interviews for Season 4, citing the network’s fabrication of rivalries and taking quotes out of context.
