Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 07, 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Clive Mason | Getty Images)
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Following Max Verstappen’s dominating Grand Slam victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Formula 1’s drivers and teams head to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia, the fastest street track on the calendar. In accommodation for the upcoming Ramadan holiday, the weekend schedule is moved up a day from the traditional schedule with the Grand Prix on a Saturday, just like the previous week in Bahrain.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which hosts the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, is a 3.386-mile circuit designed and built in 2021. Its first race was the penultimate round in the thrilling 2021 title battle between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen. The race was soon moved to the second Grand Prix on the schedule the following year and has stayed there since 2022.
After a disappointing race in Bahrain from Alpine, which saw both drivers match disappointing expectations going into the event, more personnel movement has radiated through the team. During a particularly rough stretch the year prior, the team saw Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane resign following the 2023 Belgium Grand Prix. Long-time member of the team, dating back to their 2006 World Championship with Fernando Alonso, Bob Bell has left Alpine to join Aston Martin, while other members of the team have left as well.
Although just one week removed from the Bahrain Grand Prix, most teams have decided to run upgrades for Saudi Arabia. Mercedes leads with the most significant change in the paddock, running a new lower deflector to improve local loads. Red Bull is running tighter bodywork around its engine for cooling purposes with adaptations to its rear wing and beam for drag levels.
Other teams, such as Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, and Williams, are running adaptations to their 2024 design choices for the street circuit with their front and rear wings and beams. Visa Cash App RB has brought the most changes, with a new engine cover for cooling purposes, louvers, and modifications to the front and rear wings. However, Alpine, Kick Sauber F1, and Haas have all decided to run with no changes.
Heading into the weekend, F1 tire supplier Pirelli has announced that they will be running the three mid-ranged compounds, the C2, C3, and C4, as the selection of tires for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. With three Grand Prix events at this circuit, Pirelli believes they have received enough data to determine what to expect. In qualifying, they expect drivers to take two preparation laps to set in the Soft compound tire for a full competitive timed lap. At the same time, a one-stop strategy is anticipated to be the favorite in the race, swapping between the Medium and Hard compound tires depending on the qualifying position.
The distance between Sakhir and Jeddah is only 1260 kilometres as the crow flies, but the characteristics of the two tracks could not be more different This is what we can expect for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
Read more 👉https://t.co/S863qDSFkL#Fit4F1 #Formula1 #Pirelli @F1 pic.twitter.com/GZ17KBVplH— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) March 5, 2024
Following his dominating performance the week prior, Red Bull’s Verstappen once again led the way as the field hit the street circuit in Jeddah for the first time in 2024. In the opening minutes of the session, it was the Mercedes of George Russell picking up the quickest time, but soon, the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix winner took his Red Bull to the top of the timing sheets and held it through the rest of the session. The tight nature of the track produced a close-call moment as Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll survived a brush with the barriers and was able to make his way back to the pits with little incident.
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – MARCH 07: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 07, 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Clive Mason | Getty Images)
Following behind Verstappen came the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso, sticking just 0.186 seconds behind the fastest time while the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez grabbed the third quickest time. Early session leader Russell brought in the fourth fastest time ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, closing out the Top 5. Teams can work on their cars before the second practice session in conditions similar to the qualifying rounds and the Grand Prix.
The second session soon greeted the F1 paddock, albeit after a 10-minute delay due to a possible manhole cover issue. Track activity became a bit more chaotic as the cars took to the now shorter practice session in close quarters. Valtteri Bottas found himself spinning going through Turn 1 and then, in a more harrowing moment, the Williams of Logan Sargeant had to lock up behind a slowing Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton while the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz was closing in behind. That incident has gone under the review of the race stewards as it came too close to disaster.
Fernando Alonso (14) runs in the Jeddah Corniche Circuit during the second practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in his Aston Martin Aramco-Mercedes AMR24 for his fastest lap in the session. (Photo: Aston Martin F1 via X)
While Verstappen hoped to continue his pace, Alonso brought his Aston Martin up to the top of the timing boards by the time the session ended, ahead of Russell’s Mercedes and Verstappen’s Red Bull. Leclerc’s Ferrari brought in the fourth fastest time while the defending pole and race winner Perez closed out the Top 5 in his Red Bull.
Looking ahead to the final practice and then qualifying, Verstappen believes that “it will be again very, very tight,” referring to how close together the grid was in qualifying the week prior. He continued on saying, “I think that is probably where other people are probably a bit better than us, over one lap. Our car probably comes a bit more alive on the long run.”
With the opening practice sessions complete, teams and drivers now focus on the final practice and qualifying. It seems it might be a tight battle at the top, with Verstappen, Alonso, and Russell looking to be the key figures heading into qualifying in another close battle for pole position.
