Formula 1 is back in full force as the season kicks off with its first back-to-back weekend, this time in Saudi Arabia. The location will be the brand new Jeddah Corniche Circuit which was designed and executed by Carsten Tilke’s firm, and was still being finished when it hosted its inaugural race in 2021. Set alongside the Red Sea the Jeddah Corniche circuit is long at 6.174km, has a high turn count at 27, and is of the fastest circuits on the F1 calendar. To that end, with an average speed of 250kph it is the fastest street circuit on the calendar and second only to Monza overall.
After what can only be described as a disastrous season opener in Bahrain, Red Bull have no doubt been working frantically to understand issues with steering, brakes, and their power unit. While we have yet to understand everything about these new cars, Bahrain did seem to indicate that Red Bull was best in high-speed corners, which there are plenty of in Jeddah. Look for one car to be on the podium with the other just out of podium positions. On the AlphaTauri side expect one car in the points with the second also a contender with a little jeopardy up the grid.
Elsewhere on the grid, here is the general order in which we see the teams’ strength and odds of a good result:
1. Ferrari
2. Red Bull
3. Mercedes
4. Haas
5. Alpha Romeo
6. Alpine
7. AlfaTauri
8. McLaren
9. Williams
10. Aston Martin
US TV SCHEDULE
Practice 1 – Friday, March 25 – 9.55AM – ESPN2
Practice 2 – Friday, March 25 – 12.55PM – ESPN2
Practice 3 – Saturday, March 26 – 9.55AM – ESPN2
Qualifying – Saturday, March 26 – 12.55PM – ESPN2
Grand Prix Sunday (pre-race show) – Sunday, March 27 – 11.30AM –
ESPN
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Sunday, March 27 – 12.55PM –
ESPN
CIRCUIT INFORMATION
Lap data
Lap length: 6.174km (3.836 miles)
Race laps: 50
Race distance: 308.7km (191.8 miles)
Pole position: Right-hand side of the track
Lap record*: 1:30.734
Fastest lap: 1:27.511
Maximum speed: 318kph (197mph)
DRS
zone/s (race):
TBC
Distance from grid to turn one: 230m
Car performance
Full throttle: 80%
Longest flat-out section: TBCm
Downforce level: Low
Gear changes per lap:
TBC
Fuel use per lap: TBCkg
Time penalty per lap of fuel: TBCs
Strategy
Tyres: Hard (C2), Medium (C3), Soft (C4) (2021: Hard (C2), Medium (C3), Soft (C4))
*Fastest lap set during a Grand Prix
2021 RESULTS
Race Info.
Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, 1:27.511
Race laps: 50
Fast race lap: Valtteri Bottas, 1:30.734
Podium
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
CURRENT STANDINGS
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