From December 3rd to 5th, Formula 1 will take to the track in Jeddah for the first Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia. Before F1’s first foray into the country, let’s take a closer look at the sport’s newest venue.
Which track is similar to the one in Jeddah?
When comparing routes, the Baku City Circuit is likely to come to mind. Here, too, high top speeds are achieved, but the average speed is significantly lower due to the many 90-degree low-speed bends.
The flowing portions of Jeddah’s Corniche stretch could be similar to Silverstone, with the added benefit of banking up to 12 percent in some corners. But according to route architect Carsten Tilke, this route cannot be compared with any other route.
Is it a Mercedes or a Red Bull track?
Which team performs best depends on many factors. Mercedes seems to like high-speed tracks, while Red Bull prefers the twisty sections. Both elements are present on this circuit, but early pictures show that the Jeddah street circuit will be extremely fast.
Mercedes will install a fresher engine in Lewis Hamilton’s car, which was also available to him in Brazil. It will therefore be interesting to see what advantage Hamilton has on the straights when Max Verstappen and Red Bull pull out all the stops.
Have there ever been races in Jeddah?
The Jeddah street circuit is brand new, but it won’t be the first time an F1 car has speeded the streets. In mid-November, Red Bull was visiting for a demonstration with an RB8, and so the former Formula 1 driver Patrick Friesacher spoiled the audience with the sounds of an F1 car from the pre-hybrid era.
Saudi Arabia is not unfamiliar with motorsport as a whole and has struggled to attract international series in recent years. The Dakar Rally has been held in the country in January since 2020 and Nyck de Vries won the very first Formula E night race in Diriyah last February. Two months later, Extreme E also attended the Desert X Prix.
Is it possible to overtake on the track?
The route in Jeddah on the Red Sea was built in just 12 months and should be ready in time for the race. The 6.174 kilometer street circuit has 27 bends, many of them fast bends and bends, plus this bend with a 12 percent steepness. Since this is a street circuit, the walls are often dangerously close.
Before the last bend, the route becomes wider and lends itself to several ideal lines, especially when using DRS. Track designer Tilke worked closely with Formula 1 Director Ross Brawn’s team to determine the final layout based on simulations and the F1 organization expects the track to be suitable for overtaking.
How many DRS zones are there?
There are three potential DRS zones on the Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, but they have not yet been officially confirmed by the FIA. The most likely location for a DRS zone is on the straight, and there could be a second zone in the middle of the route. Drivers can also be allowed to open the wing before entering the penultimate corner.
How fast will F1 cars be at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit?
Many parts of the route can be driven at full throttle and the estimated top speed is 322 kilometers per hour. The average speed in the simulations was 252.8 km / h, which is slightly faster than Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps and only 11.6 km / h slower than Monza.
It is by far the fastest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar. In second place is Albert Park in Australia with an average speed of 237.2 km / h.
What else is there to see on the GP weekend?
In addition to Formula 1, the FIA Formula 2 championship is also in action. Australian Oscar Piastri currently leads the championship with 178 points and has a comfortable lead over teammate Guanyu Zhou, who will be promoted to the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team next year.
GT car fans will enjoy the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East.
Jason Derulo and DJ Tiësto will take the stage off the track on Saturday. Justin Bieber, A $ AP Rocky and David Guetta will entertain the audience on Sunday. Entry to the concerts is free for cardholders.
Where are the best seats?
With the first race still pending, Motorsport.com recently asked Tilke the best spots to catch the action. He recommended the zone immediately after the first corner, where a stadium section was created, and drew comparisons with the famous stadium section in Mexico City or the S-corner in Zandvoort. From the grandstand you can see the first corner as well as a point further down the lap where the drivers have to apply the brakes before accelerating.
What else can you do in Jeddah?
When visiting Jeddah, don’t miss the historic heart of the city, Al Balad. Among other things, there are numerous museums that tell the history of the city. And next to the historic buildings there is street food in many places to try the local specialties.
Another tip is to take a long stroll along the promenade in the Corniche, marked by the illuminated King Fahd fountain, the largest of its kind. The 30 km long promenade offers many bars and restaurants.
The post On the Jeddah F1 Corniche street circuit first appeared on monter-une-startup.
