Tyres Sole tyre supplier Pirelli provided the C3, C4 and C5 tyre compounds (the softest selection available) for use in dry conditions. Pirelli tested the 2021 tyre compounds during the second practice session. Penalties Charles Leclerc incurred a three-place grid penalty for the race after causing a collision with Sergio Pérez at the Sakhir Grand Prix. Pérez and Kevin Magnussen were required to start from the back of the grid for exceeding their quotas of power unit elements. Practice The first practice session ended with Max Verstappen fastest ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon. The second practice session was red-flagged for 10 minutes after Kimi Räikkönen's Alfa Romeo Racing C39 caught fire, and ended with Valtteri Bottas fastest ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Verstappen set the fastest time in the third free practice session, followed by his teammate Alexander Albon and Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo. Qualifying Max Verstappen of Red Bull got pole position for the first time since the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix and the third of his career overall. This was the only pole position of the season achieved by a car not powered by a Mercedes engine and the first time since 2013 that Mercedes have not taken pole at the Yas Marina Circuit. Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton qualified 2nd and 3rd for Mercedes with Lando Norris of McLaren in 4th, Alexander Albon in the other Red Bull 5th and Carlos Sainz Jr. 6th. Sebastian Vettel started his last race for Ferrari from 13th place. George Russell qualified 18th fastest on his return to Williams ahead of Pietro Fittipaldi of Haas and teammate Nicholas Latifi. Qualifying classification Notes – Charles Leclerc received a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision at the Sakhir Grand Prix. – Sergio Pérez and Kevin Magnussen were required to start from the back of the grid for exceeding their quotas of power unit elements. Race Race summary Verstappen led every lap of the race from pole. Bottas and Hamilton completed the podium with the top 3 remaining in grid order. Albon managed to overtake Lando Norris for 4th place. Norris finished fifth ahead of his teammate Sainz in 6th, with McLaren finishing third in the Constructors' Championship, helped by the fact that Racing Point's Sergio Pérez retired with a technical problem on lap 9. Renault driver Ricciardo, who achieved the fastest lap, was next in 7th with Gasly