Saudi Arabia: What can we expect from Formula 1’s newest addition?
When the lights go out on Sunday evening and racing gets underway at the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, we’ll be thrown into the unknown of both a new track and an uncertain title result.
Championship leader Max Verstappen sits eight points ahead of his last remaining rival Lewis Hamilton. And come the end of this race, the two drivers could be level on points heading into the final leg of the season in Abu Dhabi. This is exactly the title battle that Formula 1 needed.
On the banks of the Red Sea lies Jeddah, the gateway port city for pilgrimages to Mecca. And this weekend, the host of the country’s first ever grand prix. So, just what do we know and what can we expect?
Street life
Right on the shoreline, this new purpose-built track uses existing streets and roadways – much like Monaco and Baku – and could be the fastest road circuit in F1.
Early data from Mercedes suggests cornering speeds drop below 100mph on only three of the 27 turns, while drivers could reach close to 200mph in the latter part of the circuit. Around 79 per cent of the lap will be at full throttle.
“The track looks insane,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “It’s hugely fast and the first sector is like Suzuka [Japan], but with walls. It’s going to be a massive challenge and I’m sure there will be plenty of excitement and drama.”
With these speeds, however, the track ought to favour Red Bull’s rivals, a Mercedes team who tend to thrive in low-altitude, high-speed tracks.
Strat Life
While so much of success in F1 comes down to the driving, the behind-the-scenes work that goes into preparing for each race is monumental – and strategy is a key part.
In recent weeks we have seen its importance, notably at Interlagos, where the calls made by Mercedes gave Hamilton a platform to cut Verstappen’s title lead.
On a high-speed circuit like in Saudi Arabia, pit stops will be crucial, and a serious amount of time can be lost at this track through faulty strategy.
Both title contenders have already benefited and suffered from strategy choice this season. With the drivers’ championship so delicately poised, the last thing this F1 season needs is a race ruined by the pit wall.
Stat life
With the gap between the top two just eight points, a Hamilton win and fastest lap point – assuming Verstappen comes in second – would see the top two head south to Abu Dhabi level on 369.5 points.
In the famous mantra of the now-passed Sir Frank Williams, for the manufacturers the team comes first. Red Bull and Mercedes are within five points of each other in the constructors’ championship.
While having the winning driver is a major marketing boost, it’s the team’s position in the overall standings that has a bigger impact on the budget for next season.
McLaren in particular must be ruing their form of late. Now lagging behind Ferrari in the battle for third, it’s unlikely they’ll catch the prancing horse. They are safe in fourth, however, which is something.
Saudi Arabia offers up a new challenge. But on Sunday, as the winning car passes the chequered flag, the number crunching starts ahead of the final tussle of the season. It’s the tightest intra-team title fight in years. Let’s hope it stays that way.