“This title race is one for the ages,” is a phrase floating around the Formula One community a lot lately. And deservingly so, this season title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is indeed the best F1 has seen in many years.

Hamilton is eight points behind Verstappen with two races to go. Currently, he is in a losing position and to win the title from here would be the first such win in over a decade. The last driver who won the championship from a losing position at this stage of the season was Sebastian Vettel in 2010.

Back then, Vettel was fourth in the battle with 25 points off of Fernando Alonso. He also had Hamilton and Mark Webber ahead of him.

In 2010, it was in a Red Bull that Vettel made the comeback to win the title. And currently, it’s again a Red Bull who is in title contention. But this time, the team from Milton Keynes have all to lose.

Max Verstappen’s challenge to Lewis Hamilton is the first of ‘its kind’ in five years

Mercedes have absolutely dominated Formula One for the better part of the last decade. The German team has won seven straight drivers and constructors championships. Lewis Hamilton has also won six of his seven titles in this time.

Hamilton’s dominance has been such, that the last closest rival he had was Sebastian Vettel in 2017.

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Vettel was 56 points behind Hamilton with two races to go. Since then, chronologically, the drivers ‘closest’ to Hamilton have been 64, 67 and the highest in the last decade, 131 points behind.

So, these statistics only prove just how important and impressive Verstappen’s title challenge has been this season. He will unquestionably cement his status as a modern-day legend if he stops the Mercedes train of dominance.

But similarly, if Lewis Hamilton wins the title from this losing position, he will establish himself as arguably the greatest in history, if he hasn’t yet. Not only will he surpass Michael Schumacher’s all-time record, but he would’ve also won titles from unchallenged dominating positions, and from a closely matched tense situation with a comeback.

Whatever happens, this season and its winner will be remembered for years to come. Who do you think will create history in Abu Dhabi?

Circumstances Under Which Max Verstappen Can Win the 2021 F1 Title at Saudi Arabia