Formula 1: Do we finally have what we’ve all been waiting for?

At last, it looks like Formula 1 might have a genuine title fight. There have only been two races so far this season, but all the ingredients are there for 2021 to be a classic. Bring on round three.

It’s what Formula 1 fans have been waiting years for. The 2016 season marked the last time the sport enjoyed a title fight that went down to the last race of the season, with Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg winning a world title that destroyed his relationship with teammate Lewis Hamilton along the way.

It has been even longer since there was a battle between two drivers racing for two different teams. Rewind nine years ago for that to the truly unforgettable 2012 season, where seven different drivers won the first seven races before Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel edged out Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to win the world title by just three points.

Four different drivers for four different manufacturers, including Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus and Hamilton in the McLaren, completed the top four in the driver standings.

While 2021 does not look like it will be quite that wide open, throw into the mix wounded champions, a resurgent team with a point to prove, one of the (if not, the) greatest driver(s) of all time, and the biggest emerging talent the sport has seen in years, and this could be one of the most exciting seasons the sport has seen in a decade.

There is genuine respect between Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

If the handshakes after the first two races when the drivers got out their cars are anything to go by, they’re reveling in their battles on track, and they know themselves that the 2021 season could be a classic.

There have only been two races so far, of course. Hamilton was pushed all the way by Verstappen in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit, and while Hamilton was the victim of his own downfall in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola), what a drive that was through the pack back up to second place to limit the damage he could have caused himself.

Verstappen showed his class in that race too, controlling a chaotic event after jumping from third place to first on the opening lap and never looking back.

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It’s the ability from Verstappen to do what Hamilton usually does so well, controlling a race by managing his tires and pace while leading, that makes this title race in particular so tantalizing.

Red Bull knew there was pressure on them to deliver a car for Verstappen to challenge Hamilton and Mercedes this year, and they’ve done just that. The Milton Keynes-based outfit must get credit for that, as there was speculation that Verstappen could look for a new team if they did not deliver a good car this year.

Again, we are only two races in, but the top two in the driver standings are separated by a single point; Hamilton with 44 and Verstappen with 43. Hamilton landed the first blow in Bahrain in a race Verstappen could have easily won, but the Dutchman bounced back in Italy.

Based on those performances so far, it seems that Verstappen and Red Bull have the stronger package of the two. But Hamilton’s sensational pole lap at Imola must also be noted, and his talent is undeniable. Think back to his McLaren days: 2009 especially springs to mind, when he drug an underperforming car to win multiple races against the odds.

Formula 1 is a sport decided by the finest of margins. That’s why fans love it so much. A split millisecond can be the difference between winning a race and crashing out. Drivers and teams push themselves to the absolute limit, and sometimes beyond.

The further that limit is pushed, the better the spectacle. With Hamilton vs. Verstappen and Mercedes vs. Red Bull, 2021 will see two of the best drivers and teams ever push each other all the way.

Ahead of this Sunday’s Portuguese Grand Prix at Algarve International Circuit (Portimao), Hamilton says he expects the battles with Verstappen to continue through the year. Verstappen says it’s “promising” to be competitive, but he is downplaying his chances as always, saying there are “no guarantees”.

Mercedes will be working around the clock to understand their W12 car’s “diva” tendencies, but if they fix those soon, which they did in 2017, they will be the team to beat once again. Verstappen and Red Bull might need to take advantage while they can.

Either way, the stage is set. Buckle in for round three this Sunday, May 2. This could be one of the best seasons in years.