With four different cars in the top four places, plus championship leader Lando Norris starting down in 10th, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix promises to be an intriguing race.
Formula 1 is using softer tyres in a bid to encourage more strategic variation in the race, which has been fairly predictable in the past. Will the change make a difference?
Here’s the key information for following today’s 50-lap grand prix.
Weather
More of the same is forecast for Sunday night in Jeddah. The warm but cooling temperatures will be much as they were in qualifying.
Start
Jeddah has one of the shortest runs to the first corner of any track on the calendar.
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Distance from pole position to first braking zone. Source: Mercedes
Last year Max Verstappen, as he does again today. On that occasion he immediately moved to his left to keep Charles Leclerc, second, behind him.
This left Leclerc vulnerable to Sergio Perez, who started third, but the Red Bull driver wasn’t able to pass the Ferrari.
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Strategy
Last year drivers chose the following compounds to start the race on:
Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli has brought tyres which are one stage softer than last year. However drivers were able to run that medium (the equivalent of this year’s hard) for as many as 41 of the 50 laps. Therefore, even with the slightly hotter temperatures than last year, drivers are likely to be able to complete the race with a single pit stop again.
A pit stop costs around 15 seconds at Jeddah, which is less than at many other tracks.
Pirelli has not yet confirmed which sets of dry weather tyres each driver has available for the grand prix. The data will be added here when it is published.
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Overtaking
There have been no changes to the DRS zones from last year. Jeddah has three, clustered towards the end of the lap.
Speed trap
Pole winner Verstappen has one of the fastest cars in the speed trap. However the spread from fastest speed to lowest is not particularly large this weekend.
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Safety Cars
Due to the limited amount of run-off at several points around the circuit, interruptions are not uncommon at Jeddah.
However the track’s high-speed nature also means crashes can be serious enough to cause red flags. Any teams which suspect the race may be red-flagged could avoid pitting, in the hope they will be able to make their mandatory tyre change while the race is neutralised.
Several drivers took advantage of the opportunity to do that during the inaugural race. Lando Norris was among those who lost out as a result and described F1’s red flag regulations as the “worst rule ever invented.” Nevertheless it remains unchanged.
Grid
The grid for this year’s race is as follows. Any changes between now and the start of the race will be added here:
Over to you
Every race so far this year has been won from pole position. Will that change today?
Share your views on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in the comments.
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