Six things besides the title race to watch out for in the final races of 2021

The last F1 races of Raikkonen

He began his Formula One career in 2001 when Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher were not yet old enough to walk on their own. The no-nonsense driver has had a tremendous career with a total (after the last two races) of 349 starts and of course his world title in 2007. Kimi remains an iconic figure who will be missed in the paddock, so enjoy his last few appearances in the car, as well as in front of the camera.

The battle between McLaren and Ferrari

McLaren and Ferrari are still fighting behind Mercedes and Red Bull Racing for the coveted third spot in the constructors' standings. Not only is there a lot of money at stake, but also the honour of these two fallen F1 powers. They would of course love to compete and should financially be in the race for the world title, but have to settle for P3 and P4. Both teams will therefore do everything in their power to conquer that highest spot.

AlphaTauri versus Alpine

Right behind them, Alpine and AlphaTauri are fighting out a similar duel. The podium for Fernando Alonso in Qatar was an important achievement for Alpine, but they're not there yet. AlphaTauri would love to beat such a factory team, but knows it will have to pull out all the stops for this fifth place. A fifth place would be a record for AlphaTauri as the team has never finished so high, even under the name of Toro Rosso.

Will Leclerc be beaten at Ferrari?

Charles Leclerc is still considered a huge talent in F1 and has quickly climbed to the top. Marcus Ericsson was no rival at Alfa Romeo and Sebastian Vettel had no answer to the speedy Monegasque either. Carlos Sainz, in his first year at Ferrari, has been on his level from the get-go and it will be interesting to see if the Spaniard is able to beat Leclerc in the Drivers' Championship for the first time over a full season.

Who will take the best of the rest title?

The winner of that duel could also take the 'best of the rest' title. Behind Mercedes and Red Bull Racing the other drivers are fighting for P5. For a long time Norris seemed certain to take that spot, but the Briton hasn't been able to match the Ferrari's for quite some time now. Leclerc is now only one point behind the Brit and Sainz is only 8.5 points short. This will be a very exciting conclusion.

Who is the best second driver in the title race?

Valtteri Bottas has proven this season that he is still the best second driver for Mercedes. Where Max Verstappen is still ahead of Lewis Hamilton at the top of the standings, the Finn has managed to score more points than Perez. Despite Bottas not getting a contract extension at Mercedes, he is the most stable factor. The difference between the two is only thirteen points, so the tide can still turn. How they perform in the final races will also have a big influence on the title fight. The best number two could prove crucial to the eventual world champion.