Formula 1: 5 things at stake in the 2021 season finale

4. P3 in constructor championship: Ferrari’s resurgence

Ferrari enter the final race of the 2021 calendar with a 38.5-point lead over McLaren as the two historic constructors battle for P3. Realistically, the Prancing Horses have bagged P3, but mathematically, McLaren do still have a shot to overtake them for it, which would give them P3 for the second consecutive season.

The engine upgrades have worked wonders for Ferrari, as both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. have managed to consistently take points by recording top 10 finishes. In the last five races, the Maranello-based team have secured 75 points as opposed to just 29 points by the Woking-based outfit.

The abysmal 2020 season that saw Ferrari have their worst season since 1980 now seems a fading memory, as humongous strides have been made by the team both on and off the track. A P3 finish before jumping into a new era with the new car would help Ferrari regain their lost stature to a certain extent.

For McLaren, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix holds a lot of significance, as they pipped Racing Point to P3 last year, flipping a one-point deficit into a seven-point lead. But the papaya team likely won’t repeat that effort this year, given the vast difference to Ferrari.