Round Five : Jeddah Corniche Circuit
It’s Round 5 of 24 as the first triple-header of the season wraps up here in Saudi Arabia!
The final race weekend of the triple-header takes place here in Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Qualifying yesterday saw another spectacular performance from Max Verstappen, securing himself pole position for tomorrow's race. After Lando Norris’ unfortunate crash at the start of Q3, the outcome of this race could shake up the championship standings - potentially costing Norris his lead. But who will take the advantage - Piastri or Verstappen?
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was first added to the F1 calendar in 2021, making it the penultimate round of that season. On the Saturday of that weekend, we saw Verstappen crash at the last corner during his qualifying lap, and in the race, the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton was involved in a dramatic moment when he collided with the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull following a controversial ‘brake check.’ Ultimately, it was Lewis Hamilton who stood on the top step of the podium to claim victory in Jeddah that year.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit itself is the third longest circuit on the calendar, beaten by both Spa-Francorchamps and Las Vegas. The 3.836-mile circuit, designed by Carsten Tilke, son of renowned track designer Hermann Tilke, is located on the shores of the Red Sea and features a series of long, winding corners, adding up to 27 in total. With an average speed of 155 mph, the street circuit demands a high level of driver confidence. The drivers must thread the car perfectly between each of the looming walls, avoiding contact at all costs.
In terms of strategy, we’re looking at a two stop with some cars starting on the medium tyre then pitting on laps 16-22 for hards. But in cases like Norris, he will rely on the possibility of a safety car or red flag, so he will begin on the hard tyre for a longer stint.
The 20 drivers will line up in front of the lights once the Saudi Arabian sun has set, bringing cooler temperatures for both athletes and fans across the 50 laps. The fastest race lap still stands from 2021 at 1:30.734 by Lewis Hamilton. However, with the qualifying record having been beaten by 0.3 seconds, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the race lap record fall as well. The most driver wins are held by Verstappen with 2, while Red Bull leads the constructors’ wins with 3, thanks to Sergio Perez’s victory in 2023. Can Verstappen make it 4 for Red Bull? Or will Piastri prove a challenge?