Motor Racing
Saudi Arabia Grand Prix preview
Following the opening race of the F1 2024 season in Bahrain, which saw Max Verstappen top the podium, drivers and F1 fans alike look ahead to the next pit-stop of the racing calendar, landing them in Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend.
We preview the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix below.
Jeddah Circuit overview
Jeddah will be a completely different challenge to the Bahrain circuit. Bahrain is one of the toughest circuits in terms of managing tyre wear on the abrasive surface, whereas Saudi Arabia is gentle in contrast with a smoother surface to negotiate.
However, despite the surface being optimal, there is no room for error on the Jeddah circuit. It is a tight track, which means a small slip up can be costly and due to the speed of the surface and higher downforce setups will be favoured to enhance control and performance around the corners. The race will likely be a one-stop for most of the teams going from medium to hard tyres, as the smoother surface allows the tyres to go further than they did in Bahrain, with only three drivers opting for two-stops in last year’s race. However, should a safety car come out at a good time, the drivers might sneak in an additional swap if it isn’t too costly.
Despite the drivers going full throttle for 80% of the race, this circuit isn’t as conducive to overtakes as one would think, due to the narrow stretches enclosed by walls and the nature of some of the corners. Also, should the teams opt for low-downforce setups and reduce drag, then their DRS will be less effective in the three DRS zones. Having said that, there were a total of 36 overtakes in last year’s Grand Prix at Jeddah, even though they are difficult to achieve.
Red Bull got pole position last year in qualification with Sergio Perez clocking an impressive 1:28.265s, reaching a top speed of 338kph, with teammate Max Verstappen being the fastest in the race with a 1:31.906s.
Main teams to look out for
Aston Martin
The Bahrain Grand Prix was a tough race for Aston Martin last week and they failed to keep up with the likes of McLaren and Mercedes. Alonso had to make an untimely pit stop late in the race which left him hunting desperately to reach his end position at 9th, followed by teammate Lance Stroll in 10th.
In Saudi, Aston Martin might struggle with the high-speed corners, as we know that’s not their strongest point and the circuit in Jeddah is filled with them. It’s likely we will see Alonso engage in a battle for P7 or P8, but he shouldn’t be a threat to the top of the standings in this race. Alonso is higher in the betting at 50/1 than teammate Lance Stroll, who is 250/1 to win the race
McLaren
After a rather disappointing performance in qualifying, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri managed to keep up a good pace in the race and saw themselves take P6 and P8 respectively which was a decent result for them in their pursuit of improvement this season.
Due to the nature of the circuit, we can expect a bit of a head-to-head between McLaren and Ferrari as both sets of cars mirror the characteristics of the circuit quite nicely. Norris (25/1) is going from strength to strength and one can only imagine he’ll be pining for a podium finish, and his car is more than capable of excelling around this track. The only worry for McLaren is their power on the long straights as they have fallen victim to overtakes in previous Grand Prix on those stretches, so should their cars be firing, they shouldn’t be in too much trouble. Teammate Piastri is 40/1 to pick up his first win in F1.
Mercedes
Mercedes had an okay to start to the season in Bahrain, picking up P5 and P7, landing them third in the Constructors’ Championship off the bat. Similar to McLaren, Mercedes struggle on the long straights and high-speed circuits and this could be in an issue for them in Saudi Arabia.
The Bahrain Grand Prix saw George Russell deal with some overheating issues with his brakes and power unit, as well as tyre wear in the latter stages of the race, and this could be a bigger issue in a hotter climate around Jeddah for Mercedes, so they’ll need an immaculate race to see them challenge the podium. Despite the challenges, Hamilton is 16/1 to return to winning ways and Russell slightly further out at 25/1.
Ferrari
The Bahrain Grand Prix was a positive start for Ferrari and seemed to maximise their potential regardless of the problems Charles Leclerc was facing during the race. Carlos Sainz is in his final season with the team and got off to a flyer, securing P3.
They’ll be on the hunt for a podium finish again here in Jeddah but given teams like McLaren and Red Bull are looking strong, it could be more of a challenge here. Both Ferrari drivers are third and fourth in the betting, with Charles Leclerc 12/1 and teammate Carlos Sainz at 16/1 to overcome the odds and give Ferrari a P1 finish.
Red Bull
The opening race of the season was the perfect start for Red Bull, as they secured the top two spots on the podium in Bahrain. Max Verstappen was head and shoulders of the rest and looks to have picked up from where he left off last season.
The Red Bull cars looked very strong with regards to tyre wear despite the tricky Bahrain surface, and they’ll be heading to Saudi Arabia full of confidence. The characteristics of the circuit suit them incredibly well and a 1-2 finish for Red Bull is looking a likely possibility. Unsurprisingly, Max Verstappen leads the running to be victorious in Saudi Arabia at 1/4 – a narrative likely to span the rest of the season – with Sergio Perez the next best bet in the market at 10/1.
One to watch
Esteban Ocon is 8/1 to finish in the points this year in the Alpine car, which is a decent price given he finished at P8 in the Saudi Grand Prix last year (and P6 in 2022) and is certainly the one to keep an eye out for this weekend should he put up a similar performance to his two prior displays around the Jeddah track.
