Motor racing images of the year 2021
McKlein
From F1 to the Indy 500 and WEC to WRC, it was a golden year of motor racing, captured by the world’s best photographers
August: Le Mans, FranceLate evening sunshine at Le Mans 2021 – although there had been a downpour an hour before the 4pm start and showers two and a half hours in. Porsches arrived thick and fast, with a dozen 911 RSR-19s starting the race |
November: Valencia, SpainNothing lasts forever, although with Valentino Rossi his tenure on two wheels seemed like it might. His MotoGP career ended with a top-10 finish |
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March: Bristol, USThe last thing the NASCAR Truck Series Race on Dirt needed was biblical rain. It caused two postponements |
September: Monza, ItalyHitech’s Kiwi driver Liam Lawson set a fastest lap in the Formula 2 support of the F1 Grand Prix |
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July: Silverstone, UKThe crowds were back at the British Grand Prix, with 140,000 on Sunday witnessing Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen collide on the first lap. Here’s third-place specialist Valtteri Bottas beneath glorious English summer skies |
January: Neom to Al-Ula, Saudi ArabiaToyota Gazoo Racing Baltic’s Lithuanian driver Benediktas Vanagas kicks up dust in the Martian desert environment of Dakar 2021, finishing 12th overall |
November: Losail, QatarOne of the problems of a desert grand prix is that tracks can be dusty, dirty and affected by wind. In Qatar, this led to wear on tyres – and bodywork |
September: Monza, ItalyHamilton admitted that his halo had saved his life following this bump with Verstappen on lap 26 of the Italian GP. “It’s a big shock,” the British driver said. “We are taking risks out there all the time” |
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October: Goodwood, UKUmbrellas were required at the 78th Members’ Meeting, but the conditions didn’t dampen the track action |
September: Monza, ItalySébastien Ogier took his eighth WRC crown in nine years at the last rally of the season. In 2022 he will only take part in selected events. Elfyn Evans – your time has come |
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July: Silverstone, UKAfter a late duel with Alex Palou, Hélio Castroneves won his fourth Indy 500 (his first was in 2001) and was able to show the crowd his well- known celebratory Spider- Man routine after the race |
October: Patajoki, FinlandA season high for French driver Adrien Fourmaux in his Ford Fiesta WRC but he would end the rally in a more grounded seventh place |
July: Silverstone, UKWe’ve seen a lot of orange around F1 circuits this season but it was the home colours that were flying after the British GP |
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August: Le Mans, FranceThe 24 Hours – the 89th– saw its first Hypercars, with the Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José Maria López leading the way |
June: Spielberg, AustriaRed Bull again proved itself to be the king of quick stops, setting the fastest pitstop times in 13 of the year’s 22 races. Mercedes topped the times just twice all year |
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November: Sakhir, BahrainA double-header in Bahrain closed the 2021 World Endurance Championship, the final of which was an eight-hour race won by the Le Mans-conquering trio Conway, Kobayashi and López. In the Hypercar class of three teams, Toyota was first in every race |