Formula One will make its way to Saudi Arabia this weekend for round two of the 2023 season.
Following on from the Bahrain Grand Prix, spectators will be eagerly waiting to see a closer battle at the Saudi Arabian track after Red Bull dominated the season opener.
Two-time world championship winner, Max Verstappen, extended his lead early on in Sakhir and sailed to victory with a clearly dominant RB19.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso joined the Red Bull men on the podium and will be looking to continue on his upward trajectory in a much-improved car.
READ MORE: 2022 Saudi Arabian GP: Throwback to Max Verstappen securing the win after epic battle with Leclerc
The team has been impressing since pre-season testing in Bahrain, and fans will be on the edge of their seats this weekend to see if their performance translates at the next track.
Mercedes and Ferrari will also be looking to up their game this weekend, so we could be in for a four-sided battle as the season continues.
Ahead of this Sunday’s race, here’s everything you need to know about the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix:
Circuit
Located in the Corniche area on the Red Sea, the Jeddah circuit is 6.175km long, making it the second-longest on the Formula 1 calendar, after Spa Francorchamps at 7.004km.
The circuit features 27 corners with the potential for 3 DRS detection zones.
It is the ‘fastest street track’ on the Formula One calendar with cars reaching average speeds in excess of 250 km/h in 2021.
Its intricate design along with the new regulations this year means there will be an increased ability to overtake, allowing drivers to “close-up on cars in front”, making for some exciting on-track battles this weekend.
The inaugural Grand Prix took place in 2021 and was won by a once-dominant Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes, although Max Verstappen took the win in 2022 with Red Bull, Hamilton still holds the race lap record after a run in 1:30.734s.
Schedule
The race at the Jeddah Street Circuit will take place on Sunday, March 19 – just two weeks the season opener in Bahrain.
Teams will have already begun travelling to Saudi Arabia, with Free Practice taking place as usual on Friday at 1:30 pm with the second installment at 5:00 pm.
Qualifying is on Saturday, with proceedings getting underway at 5:00 pm – hours after the final practice session at 1:30 pm.
Lights out is at 5:00 pm Irish time on Sunday.
Championship Standings
| DRIVER | TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|---|
| VER | RBR | 44 |
| PER | RBR | 43 |
| ALO | AMR | 30 |
| SAI | FER | 20 |
| HAM | MER | 20 |
| RUS | MER | 18 |
| STR | AMR | 8 |
| LEC | FER | 6 |
| BOT | ALR | 4 |
| OCO | ALP | 4 |
| GAS | ALP | 4 |
| MAG | HAS | 1 |
| ALB | WIL | 1 |
| TSU | SAT | 0 |
| HUL | HAS | 0 |
| SAR | WIL | 0 |
| ZHO | ALR | 0 |
| DEV | SAT | 0 |
| PIA | MCL | 0 |
| NOR | MCL | 0 |
| TEAM | POINTS |
|---|---|
| RED BULL | 87 |
| ASTON MARTIN | 38 |
| MERCEDES | 38 |
| FERRARI | 26 |
| ALPINE | 8 |
| ALFA ROMEO | 4 |
| WILLIAMS | 1 |
| HAAS | 1 |
| ALPHATAURI | 0 |
| MCLAREN | 0 |
