Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 results: Max Verstappen passes Lewis Hamilton on controversial final lap, wins F1 championship

Max Verstappen is your 2021 Formula 1 world champion.

It wasn't without drama, excitement, controversy and strategy: In the end, it came down to the final lap after a controversial restart following a wreck in the late stages of the race. 

MAX VERSTAPPEN. WORLD CHAMPION!!!

A stunning season by an extraordinary talent #HistoryMade #F1 @Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/FxT9W69xJe

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021

The final race of the season came down to the final lap: After a safety car held the race to one final racing lap, Verstappen and fresher tires held off Mercedes and Hamilton's hard tires, taking the lead and the championship.

Sporting News  tracked highlights, updates and more from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix below.

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Formula 1 live updates, highlights from 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

9:34 a.m. FINISH:  The 2021 World Championship goes to Max Verstappen. Absolutely insane ending.

9:32 a.m.:  The safety car ends, and lapped cars were allowed to pass — one lap of racing remains. The championship hangs in the balance.

9:27 a.m.:  Tense, tense, tense laps to end here. One or two racing laps to close out the championship. 

9:22 a.m.:  SAFETY CAR! Nicholas Latifi hits the wall, and Verstappen pits for soft tires. 

9:18 a.m.:  Christian Horner sounds like he's just about given up on the race, banking on a miracle from the racing gods to win this. Seven laps left, and Verstappen is just under 11 seconds to Hamilton.

9:08 a.m.:  15 laps to go, and the Lewis-Verstappen gap is under 14 seconds and closing, slowly. 

9:02 a.m.:  Verstappen is flying on the new tires. (Tyres? Tires.) Setting fastest laps. We'll see if Hamilton's hold up.

8:57 a.m.:  Verstappen pits under the VSC, and he picks up a new set of hard tires. We'll see if it works out (probably not).

8:55 a.m.:  Looks like Alfa Romeo's day is officially done: Antonio Giovinazzi's car is dead on the side of a track, and we see a virtual safety car.

8:50 a.m.:  Lap 32 and Hamilton says he's unsure the tires will last the race, and then continues to set fastest lap after fastest lap. Gutsy. (Or maybe just bait.)

8:48 a.m.:  George Russell's Williams career also comes to a premature end, as he reports a brake issue and now is out of the race. 17 drivers remain.

8:47 a.m.:  Verstappen and Red Bull thinking about a second pit stop as the gap widens to 4.2 seconds. Gutsy call, but Red Bull has to gamble if they want any shot of winning this. 

8:43 a.m.:  Kimi Raikkonen's career comes to a premature end: A brake issue has forced the Finn into a DNF. Unfortunate.

LAP 29/58

Kimi is out 😞

His final F1 race finishes early with reported brake issues - and he's back in the garage #AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/w1uBe1UbIV

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021

8:34 a.m.:  Perez just earned his 2021 Red Bull check: He held up Hamilton and cost him six seconds on a lap, allowing Verstappen to get right back into this race. Hamilton still has the clear pace, at just about two seconds ahead of Verstappen.

LAP 21/58

Epic stuff at the front as race leader Sergio Perez battles hard to keep Lewis Hamilton frustrated

Hamilton eventually gets past to take P1, but his lead over Verstappen is cut to two seconds

"Checo is a legend" says Max over team radio #AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/Thc5IPQV09

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021

8:30 a.m.:  Verstappen back into third and Hamilton still in second behind Perez. Verstappen has a 12-second gap to Hamilton.

8:26 a.m.:  Verstappen's only hope here is that Perez can try and slow Hamilton down so Verstappen can gain. Race might be over early.

8:23 a.m.:  Verstappen pits: He exits with hard tires with 34 laps to go. Perez now in second, and Verstappen exits the pit and takes fourth. Hamilton will be pitting on the next lap.

8:21 a.m.:  Verstappen sounds like he may be coming in for tires soon, as the circuit is in Lap 13.

8:18 a.m.:  Looks like Verstappen's tires are totally shot now. He's now four seconds behind Hamilton for the lead and stretching. 

8:15 a.m.:  Hamilton setting fastest laps at the top. Still some debate to the Lap 1 incident between Verstappen and Hamilton: Verstappen stayed on track, while Hamilton ran wide. Hard to tell who was right or wrong, but no investigation necessary. Very 50/50 there.

8:10 a.m.:  Absolutely no advantage for Red Bull on the soft tires early on, with Hamilton setting fastest last and easily opening up a lead over Verstappen in second.

8:06 a.m.:  Bottas already down to eighth place after starting sixth, with Verstappen and Perez Nos. 2 and 3. Verstappen falling behind, with Hamilton building a 1 1/2 second lead early.

8:04 a.m.:  Verstappen and Hamilton touch, Hamilton heads off but Verstappen has to give it back. Drama early.

No investigation necessary between Hamilton and Verstappen #F1 #AbuDhabiGP

— Chris Medland (@ChrisMedlandF1) December 12, 2021

8:03 a.m.:  It's lights out and away we go. Hamilton gets off wonderfully and he takes the start pretty easily off Verstappen, and he leads.

8:00 a.m.:  Formation lap underway. Lights out soon.

7:55 a.m.:  Good morning, F1 fans. For the last time in 2021, we're nearing lights out. Nikita Mazepin will not race in the Abu Dhabi GP after reporting COVID-19 symptoms, and Haas will field just one car for the race. 

What time does the F1 race start today?

• Start time:  8 a.m. ET

The 8 a.m. ET start time for Sunday's race means the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will start at 5 p.m. local time. Lights out will likely take place just after 8 am. ET. ESPN's prerace show usually airs in the hour before the start of the race.

How to watch the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• TV channel:  ESPN2
• Live stream: fuboTV , ESPN+

The ESPN family of networks will broadcast all 2021 F1 races in the United States using Sky Sports' feed, with select races airing on ABC later earlier the season.

ESPN Deportes serves as the exclusive Spanish-language home for all 2021 F1 races in the U.S.

Lewis Hamilton vs. Max Verstappen points

Not only are the two tied in points entering the final race of the 2021 season, but the numbers that have led them to this point are eerily similar as well.

In the rare event that both racers DNF this Sunday, then the championship will go to Verstappen, as he owns one more race win over Hamilton in 2021.

Here's how their head-to-head-numbers break down:

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying results

Here is the complete F1 starting lineup for the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: