RACE PREVIEW SAUDI ARABIAN GP
7-9 March 2024 Jeddah Corniche Circuit
THE MAIN EVENT
circuit on Jeddah’s Red Sea coast is maturing nicely as the organisers respond to feedback. After the first two races there were marred by crashes and multiple restarts, several barriers and fences were moved to improve sightlines. Some corners have also been reprofiled with different kerbing to deter drivers from taking liberties with track limits.
In 2023 the FIA moved the first DRS detection point from the entrance to the exit of the last corner. While the original configuration had prompted some entertaining tactics as drivers tried to avoid giving rivals an advantage, this was deemed dangerous – as when Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collided in 2021. Not that this stopped Lewis winning the race – his last victory to date, incidentally…
As with Bahrain, the race will be held on Saturday. The holy month of Ramadan begins on the Sunday evening.
2023 RACE RECAP
Another Red Bull 1-2 – and there would be plenty more to come by season’s end – but this time with the regular positions reversed as Sergio Pérez prevailed over Max Verstappen. Yes, much of that was down to a driveshaft failure in qualifying which left Max 15th on the grid, but the fact of someone else being on the top step was intoxicating enough for many giddy pundits to predict a title battle between the two Red Bull drivers. There was even some chafing and to-and-fro over the team radio as Max and Checo fought for the fastest-lap point.
Having inherited his podium finish in Bahrain, Fernando Alonso accomplished this feat on merit in Jeddah – although a controversial pitstop penalty, later overturned, meant a surprised George Russell fulfilled the post-race ceremonials. Ferrari was barely in the hunt as both drivers faded in the final stint on hard tyres.
KEY CORNER: TURN 1 A fiddly chicane at the end of the pit straight, where drivers have to shed around 210km/h – what could possibly go wrong?