Craziest, Dirtiest race EVER in the hybrid era!

TL;DR

The 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was F1's most chaotic race, featuring three starts, multiple crashes, and Verstappen brake-checking Hamilton.

Key Points

• 1.Qualifying set the drama with Verstappen's legendary but doomed lap. Max went purple in both sectors but locked up before the final turn, stepped on the gas instead of accepting defeat, hit the wall, and started the race from P3 behind Hamilton and Bottas.
• 2.Three race starts occurred due to repeated crashes and red flags. Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin (both Haas) caused separate incidents, while Perez and Leclerc also tangled, forcing race control to repair barriers twice.
• 3.Verstappen repeatedly cut corners and made aggressive moves to hold position. After two-place grid drop negotiations with Masi, Max still cut the track at the restart, clashed with Hamilton multiple times, and was told by his engineer to give the position back 'strategically.'
• 4.Verstappen's deliberate brake check into Hamilton caused a collision on the straight. Told to cede the position, Max slowed at the DRS detection point, then braked hard; Hamilton rear-ended him but miraculously kept his front wing intact — a broken wing would have ended his title bid.
• 5.Hamilton won his 103rd race and Verstappen still took Driver of the Day despite a 5-second penalty. Bottas grabbed a late P3 past Ocon, Verstappen left the podium grumpily, and Hamilton only managed 2 more wins across the following 4 seasons.