Race to Abu Dhabi F1 2021: How Hamilton and Verstappen have arrived at Yas neck and neck

The 2021 Formula One drivers' title will be decided at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen head into the season finale level on 369.5 points with it all to play for at Yas Marina Circuit . Verstappen will start on pole , with Hamilton second as the heavyweights of the sport clash for the final time this season. Here's a look at how each driver fared in the 21 races leading up to Abu Dhabi . Race: Verstappen hunts down Hamilton and overtakes with four laps to go only to overshoot track limits and have to give the place back. A second misjudgement in how he hands back the lead rules out a counterattack and ice cool Hamilton opens the season with a win . Verstappen is second, left to rue what might have been. Points: Hamilton 7 ahead of Verstappen Race: Decisive overtaking move on Hamilton at Turn 1 earns Verstappen victory as the world champion later slides off but finishes second. Points: Hamilton +1 Race: Inspired tactical victory by Hamilton at his mystical ‘tyre whisper’ best. Verstappen second. Points: Hamilton +8 Race: Points summit of Hamilton’s season with third win in four races takes him 14 points clear . Will this be another year of Mercedes domination? Verstappen second again. Points: Hamilton +14 Race: Verstappen wins to lead a title race for first time in his career. It is the first time in three years Mercedes have not led either championship. Points: Verstappen +4 ahead Race: Verstappen’s tyre blows while leading, Hamilton fumbles gear shift to hand surprise victory to Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez . Points: Verstappen +4 Race: Strategic triumph as Verstappen overtakes Hamilton on the penultimate lap to end Mercedes’ domination of Paul Ricard. Points: Verstappen +12 Races: Back-to-back victories for Verstappen on Red Bull’s home track gives him a massive 32 points lead in title race. Hamilton second and fourth. Points: Styria, Verstappen +18; Austria, Verstappen +32 Race: Verstappen wins Saturday's sprint race. Hamilton crashes Verstappen off (and into hospital) on Sunday and wins his home race despite a steward’s time penalty punishment. Points: Verstappen +8 Race: Hamilton’s teammate, Valtteri Bottas, triggers a crash which ends Verstappen’s day at the first corner . Hamilton’s second place is enough to lead the title race once again in a 40-point swing over two grands prix. Points: Hamilton +8 Race: Verstappen returns from the summer break to win a farcical, two lap, rain-lashed abandoned ‘race’. Hamilton third. Points: Hamilton +3 Race: Verstappen wins his home race - the first Dutch GP for 36 years - to take to the front of the championship yet again, this time by just three points as the momentum swings back to Red Bull. Points: Verstappen +3 Race: Hamilton and Verstappen crash out together vying for the lead at Turn 1. Red Bull car beached on top the Mercedes . Daniel Ricciardo wins. Points: Verstappen +5 Race: Hamilton scores a brilliant record 100th victory in changing conditions. Verstappen second. Points: Hamilton +2 Race: Hamilton’s engine change grid penalty hands victory to teammate Bottas , with Verstappen second and the world champion fifth. Points: Verstappen +6 Race: Bastion of Hamilton success surprisingly falls to Verstappen after a spectacular drive. Points: Verstappen +12 Race: Verstappen roars from third on the grid, behind both Mercedes , to win and take a 19-point lead with four rounds remaining. Hamilton second. Points: Verstappen +19 Race: Hamilton wins from the back of the grid after Mercedes penalised for an illegal rear wing, overtaking Verstappen in the final stages . Both go off at Turn 4 battling for the lead but escape punishment. Verstappen lead 14 points. Points: Verstappen +14 Race: Dominant victory by Hamilton from pole as Verstappen minimises damage in second having started seventh thanks to a penalty for ignoring yellow flags. Hamilton cuts Verstappen’s lead to eight points. Points: Verstappen +8 Race: Dramatic race won by Hamilton after title rivals collide twice in one of the most dramatic races of modern times . Verstappen a battling second. Aided by his ‘spicey’ super-fast engine Hamilton ties down fastest lap despite a damaged car to level the championship after 21 races. Points: Level Hamilton and Verstappen go to the final round tied on points the first time that has happened between championship contenders since 1974.

Race to Abu Dhabi F1 2021: How Hamilton and Verstappen have arrived at Yas neck and neck

Both are on 369.5 points but Verstappen leads in race wins 9-8 ahead of season finale