The second Grand Prix is waiting for us in the darkness. Like the previous race in Qatar, the Saudi GP will compete on a track where Formula 1 cars have not competed before. Here, too, the start will be with artificial lighting.
The Saudi Grand Prix will be the penultimate stage of the 2021 F1 season. Mathematically, both the riders ‘and constructors’ cups can be decided already this weekend, but the most realistic scenario envisages a fight until the last lap of the season. Let’s take a look at the main intrigues to expect from this stage.
Rocket engine
8 points or a win in the fastest lap against the second place is the distance that separates Max Verstapen from Louis Hamilton on his way to Jeddah. At the moment, the scales are a bit in favor of Max, but in reality the situation can change very quickly.
Representatives of both Mercedes and Red Bull believe that this time benefits will be ‘silver arrows’. In addition, Hamilton will use the same ‘rocket engine’ that was fitted to his formula in Brazil, where Lewis won a landslide victory after disqualification shortly before the sprint.
One of the main problems with Mercedes engines is their long-term durability. After more than 400 kilometers of overtaking, the horses in the Mercedes power unit will no longer be so brisk. Given that about 80% of the track will be spent on the floor with the accelerator pedal, the engines will be more important here than on most other tracks.
If Hamilton is in trouble and he stays out of the top five, mathematically Verstapen can secure the title in Saudi Arabia, but even without such adversity, it is very important for Hamilton to beat Verstapen. Otherwise, Max’s advantage could rise to 11 points and then he would finish in third place in Abu Dhabi after the two Mercedes drivers.
In search of the best team
The intrigue in the racing championship until the last stage of the season is nothing new. In such competitions, such intense fights take place much less often. Currently, the 5-point advantage is on the Mercedes side. This is largely due to the stability of Walter Bot, compared to Serhiy Peres, who only started to finish regularly in the podium in the second half of the season. Red Bull have scored 28 points in the last five stages.
It is significant that both teams have not yet managed to reach the same double victory this year. If overtaking is difficult on the Jeddah track, it is likely that Perez and Botass will be used as pawns in chess, clearing the way for key figures and putting pressure on competitors to stay on the track longer to get stuck in the back, or vice versa in a short-term effective ‘undercut’. pitstopu.
Equally exciting off-track battles can be seen performed by the leaders of both charismatic teams. Word battles between Toto Wolf and Christian Horner are intensifying, suspicions of non-compliance with competitors’ cars are intensifying, and complaints to the judges during the journey are noticeable at every turn. The Saudi Grand Prix will not be just an hour and a half drive on Sunday night.
Night in Jeddah
Just like 2 weeks ago, the race will take place in the Middle East on Sunday, on an unfamiliar track with F1 riders. You don’t have to draw parallels. If Lozaila is actually a motorcycle track adapted to the needs of F1, then the Saudi GP will take place on a dedicated track.
It is not like any track on the calendar, especially in the competition of street tracks. Although the Jeddah track consists of 27 curves and very few lines in the literal sense of the word, the speeds that the machines will develop will be mind-boggling. The average speed will probably be the second highest on the F1 calendar, conceding only to Moncai.
Under these conditions, it will not be easy to follow the car in front. However, if you get stuck in the back, there are three CRS areas on the track that should encourage more overtaking. More than 6 kilometers long, it is the second longest track on the calendar after the Spa, where this year we saw only a few laps behind the safety car and 4 hours of continuous rain.
You won’t have to worry about precipitation this time. However, the route on the shores of the Red Sea faces other challenges. Humidity and strong winds can make their adjustments, but with the F1 riders, the youngsters from the Formula 2 Championship have also gone to Saudi Arabia. They will help improve traction and clear accumulated dust when driving earlier. Viewers will also have the opportunity to see Guanju Zhou, the only debutant next year.
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Graph: PirelliThe old powder is still dry
In Qatar, the focus was on Alonso. The forty-year-old won a place on the podium. Really won. This was not the Hungarian GP, where Botass and Strols cut almost all of the Top 10. The weather did not shuffle like in Russia. We did not see the restart of the last laps of the Azerbaijani style. It was a deserved pedestal. When the hook on the lip, you will want more. Especially for his fans.
Pierre Gazli failed to warm the tires as well and keep them in working order long enough. Traditionally, Pirelli takes a cautious approach when going on new tracks. This time, however, tires are chosen that are a little softer than in Qatar. However, the pace of wear will not be so fast and riders will probably have enough of one pit stop.
Alonso is not the only veteran to prove that he has not yet been written off. Short flashes can be seen with Fetell and Raikonen, who will be in the penultimate stage of their careers. In a week and a half, everyone will calm him down and Kimi will know what to do.
The Jeddah track could really become the fastest track in F1 history.
‼ ️Average speed ~ 250km / h. The nearest route is Baku.
️ ️79% of the circle must be made with gas on the floor.
‼ ️Maximum speed ~ 330km / h – only in Monza more.
‼ ️And all this without safety belts, because the right way on the street track – concrete walls! pic.twitter.com/Nc5hRcNUGW– Aldis Putniņš (@ F1LV) December 2, 2021
Fastest of the ‘others’
Strange that the fight for the first place in the constructors’ cup is actually the only intrigue. “Ferrari” have destroyed “McLaren”, “Alpine” and “AlphaTauri” in the fight in Qatar, the result was 25: 0 but even more devastating than between the football teams of England and Latvia. At the bottom, too, everyone is quite sparse. Therefore, we need to look in the direction of the overall evaluation of the drivers, where many issues still need to be resolved.
It is unrealistic to catch Mercedes and Red Bull, so the fight for fifth place is almost like a separate champion. Finishing the season like the best of the rest is both prestigious and enjoyable. This is a testament to the rider’s skills even with not being the fastest car. Last year’s ‘best of the rest’ was Perez. He is now enjoying the season with Red Bull. A year earlier, the fastest behind the drivers of the three leading teams was Carlos Saincs, who is now adorned with a red Ferrari suit.
This year, Norris and both Ferrari drivers are fighting for fifth place. Lando gave up a better start to the season, but the new Italian engines destroyed it Resident of Monaco in the fall. At present, Norris, Clare and Saints are less than 8 points apart. However, Noris has not yet been written off.
McLaren achieved its best results in Monza, where the accelerator pedal is rarely released. The Jeddah track is similar in this respect – almost 80% of the lap must be done with the pedal on the floor. In addition, the last stage will take place on the track, where the configuration has changed a bit. Although Ferrari has significantly ruined Norisa’s lead in recent stages, he is a damn fast young man who even stole a smile from Daniel Richter’s face this year. The fight will be no less exciting than the duel between Hamilton and Verstapen.
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