There were 22 F1 races in 2021 and 17 in 2020 but FormulaRapida.net still has prepped up an absolute difference of points and other things for drivers.
After a remarkable 2021 F1 season, FormulaRapida.net felt it worthwhile to explore the statistical discrepancies between this past year and that which preceded it, 2020. Using both direct comparisons, and metrics accounting for variables such as an abbreviated 2021 season, we contrasted performances of the drivers.
There was decrease of points among the front-runners, but the likes of McLaren and Ferrari increased their numbers – especially the latter after the disaster of 2020. The Williams pair scored handy points in the period too, to better their 2021 numbers.
The following is a statistical analysis of each F1 driver in 2021 vs 2020:
Max Verstappen (points, championship position):
2020: 214, P3
2021: 395.5, P1
Difference: +154.5 points, improves by two places WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: 1/2/11/3
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: 10/10/18/6
Lewis Hamilton (points, championship position):
2020: 347, P1
2021: 387.5, P2
Difference: +40.5 points, drops by one place in WDC
Poles/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: 10/12/14/6
Poles/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: 5/8/17/6
Valtteri Bottas (points, championship position):
2020: 223, P2
2021: 226, P3
Difference: +3 points, drops by one place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: 5/2/11/2
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: 4/1/11/4
Sergio Perez (points, championship position):
2020: 125, P4
2021: 190, P4
Difference: +55 points, no change in WDC position
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/1/2/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/1/5/2
Carlos Sainz (points, championship position):
2020: 105, P6
2021: 164.5, P5
Difference: +59.5 points, improves by one place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/1/1
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/4/-
Lando Norris (points, championship position):
2020: 97, P9
2021: 160, P6
Difference: +63 points, improves by three places in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/1/2
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/ 1/-/4/1
Charles Leclerc (points, championship position):
2020: 98, P8
2021: 159, P7
Difference: +61 points, improves by a place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/2/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: 2/-/1/-
Daniel Ricciardo (points, championship position):
2020: 119, P5
2021: 115, P8
Difference: -4 points, drops by three places in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/2/2
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/1/1/1
Pierre Gasly (points, championship position):
2020: 75, P10
2021: 110, P9
Difference: +35 points, improves by one place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/1/1/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/1/1
Fernando Alonso (points, championship position):
2020: Did not race
2021: 81, P10
Difference: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/1/-
Esteban Ocon (points, championship position):
2020: 62, P12
2021: 74, P11
Difference: +12 points, improves by one place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/1/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/1/1/-
Sebastian Vettel (points, championship position):
2020: 33, P13
2021: 43, P12
Difference: +10 points, improves by one place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/1/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: 0/-/1/-
Lance Stroll (points, championship position):
2020: 75, P11
2021: 34, P13
Difference: -41 points, drops by two places in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: 1/-/2/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: –/-/-/-
Yuki Tsunoda (points, championship position):
2020: Did not race
2021: 32, P14
Difference: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/-/-
George Russell (points, championship position):
2020: 3, P18
2021: 16, P15
Difference: +13 points, improves by three places in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/-/1
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/1/-
Kimi Raikkonen (points, championship position):
2020: 4, P16
2021: 10, P16
Difference: +6 points, no change in WDC position
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/-/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/-/-
Nicholas Latifi (points, championship points):
2020: 0, P21
2021: 7, P17
Difference: +7, improves by four places in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/-/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/-/-
Antonio Giovinazzi (points, championship position):
2020: 4, P17
2021: 3, P18
Difference: -1 points, drops by one place in WDC
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: -/-/-/-
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/-/-
Mick Schumacher (points, championship position):
2020: Did not race
2021: 0, P19
Difference: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/-/-
Nikita Mazepin (points, championship position):
2020: Did not race
2021: 0, P21
Difference: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2020: No Data
Pole/Wins/Podiums/FL, 2021: -/-/-/-
In order to account for a 17-race season to match 2020, FormulaRapida.net also used a different metric, calculating the points tallies of all drivers in the first 17 F1 rounds of 2021, and comparing that to their respective totals in 2020. Using this method, we were able to compare performances more directly.
The following is a statistical analysis of each F1 driver’s performance with values adjusted:
Max Verstappen
Points 2020 (17 round season): 214
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 287.5
Points difference (adjusted): +73.5 in 2021
Lewis Hamilton
Points 2020 (17 round season): 347
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 275.5
Points difference (adjusted): -71.5 in 2021
Valtteri Bottas
Points 2020 (17 round season): 223
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 175
Points difference (adjusted): -48 in 2021
Sergio Perez
Points 2020 (17 round season): 125
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 150
Points difference (adjusted): +25 in 2021
Carlos Sainz
Points 2020 (17 round season): 105
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 122.5
Points difference (adjusted): +17.5 in 2021
Lando Norris
Points 2020 (17 round season): 97
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 149
Points difference (adjusted): +52 in 2021
Charles Leclerc
Points 2020 (17 round season): 98
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 128
Points difference (adjusted): +30 in 2021
Daniel Ricciardo
Points 2020 (17 round season): 119
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 105
Points difference (adjusted): -14 in 2021
Pierre Gasly
Points 2020 (17 round season): 75
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 74
Points difference (adjusted): -1 in 2021
Fernando Alonso
Points 2020 (17 round season): NIL
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 58
Total points difference: No Data
Esteban Ocon
Points 2020 (17 round season): 62
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 46
Points difference (adjusted): -16 in 2021
Sebastian Vettel
Points 2020 (17 round season): 33
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 36
Points difference (adjusted): +3 in 2021
Lance Stroll
Points 2020 (17 round season): 75
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 26
Points difference (adjusted): -49 in 2021
Yuki Tsunoda
Points 2020 (17 round season): NIL
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 20
Points difference (adjusted): No Data
George Russell
Points 2020 (17 round season): 3
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 16
Points difference (adjusted): +13 in 2021
Kimi Raikkonen
Points 2020 (17 round season): 4
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 6
Points difference (adjusted): +2 in 2021
Nicholas Latifi
Points 2020 (17 round season): 0
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 7
Points difference (adjusted): +7 in 2021
Antonio Giovinazzi
Points 2020 (17 round season): 4
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 1
Points difference (adjusted): -3 in 2021
Mick Schumacher
Points 2020 (17 round season): NIL
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 0
Points difference (adjusted): Not Data
Nikita Mazepin
Points 2020 (17 round season): NIL
Points 2021 in rounds 1-17: 0
Points difference (adjusted): No Data
[Note: We understand that the absolute difference doesn’t show the entire picture but we are taking it in terms of a full F1 season for 2020 and 2021. For this reasons, we used the 17 vs 17 formula as well, taking 2021’s first 17 rounds’ results]
Here’s how F1 teams were categorised in 2021 tier system
Here’s how the F1 2021 drivers’ list stood
Here’s drivers’ selecting their Top 10 of F1 2021
Here’s the team bosses’ Top 10 list