F1 action moves to Jeddah this weekend. Here’s a look at the Saudi Arabian GP preview, schedule and live stream details.
After a thrilling opening race to begin the season in Bahrain, the F1 contingent will move to Saudi Arabia for only the second time in history. Ferrari dominated the circuit in Bahrain with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finishing 1st and 2nd respectively while Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton grabbed the final podium place. However, the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will now be eager to get back into the groove after both the team cars retired due to engine issues.
Saudi Arabian GP preview, track and last year’s winner
The majority of the 6.174-kilometre Jeddah Corniche track is made up of high-speed corners and turns with long straights also having a slight arc. The first race at this circuit took place only in December last year and it was Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton who managed to come out victorious after getting past Max Verstappen in what was an epic battle for the lead. Valtteri Bottas clinched third place after overtaking Estaban Ocon on the final few metres of the race.
Nevertheless, if the Bahrain GP is anything to go by, we can expect Ferrari to be among the top three in Saudi Arabia as well. The Prancing Horse showed the world why it was more focused on developing its new car for the new era in Bahrain.
Red Bull will certainly be in the hunt as well albeit, they need to fix their engine issues immediately. The team has lost out on several points in the recent past as well due to reliability concerns and Christian Horner will be hoping that his team can get their act together this weekend.
Mercedes Lewis Hamilton and George Russell looked well off the pace in comparison to Ferrari and Red Bull. But the duo was given a stroke of fortune with Red Bull’s engine problems. The eight-time Constructors’ champions need to make drastic developments if they are to retain their title this year.
Kevin Magnussen was the star of the show for Haas last weekend as he finished P5. The Dane got the team its first points in over a year. Even Mick Schumacher got his career-best finish in Bahrain and it appears that it won’t be long before the German gets his first point(s) in F1.
Even Alfa Romeo has a great outing in Bahrain as Valtteri Bottas finished P6 and Guanyu Zhou got his first point in his debut F1 race. The two were impressive as they took the team to fourth place in the Constructors’ standings.
However, there are major concerns for McLaren, who finished 4th in the Constructors’ standings last year. The Woking-based team were nowhere near the midfield as Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris struggled to get the best out of their new car.
Here’s what the top 5 standings in the Constructors’ and Drivers’ table look like:
Drivers’ Championship points
- Charles Leclerc: 26
- Carlos Sainz: 18
- Lewis Hamilton: 15
- George Russell: 12
- Kevin Magnussen: 10
Constructors’ Championship points
- Ferrari: 44
- Mercedes: 27
- Haas: 10
- Alfa Romeo: 9
- Alpine: 8
Saudi Arabian GP full schedule
25th March, Friday, 5:00 PM local time (7:30 PM IST)- Practice 1
25th March, Friday, 8:00 PM local time (11:30 PM IST)- Practice 2
26th March, Saturday, 5:00 PM local time (7:30 PM IST)- Practice 3
26th March, Saturday, 8:00 PM local time (11:30 PM IST)- Qualifying
27th March, Sunday, 8:00 PM local time (11:30 PM IST)- Race
Saudi Arabian GP live stream details
In the UK, every segment from the start of the first practice session to the end of the race will be available to watch on Sky Sports.
In India, the qualifying session and main race will be broadcast live on Star Sports. All practise sessions, qualifying sessions and the main race can be streamed live on Disney+Hotstar.
Saudi Arabian GP prediction
Max Verstappen will be hungry for success after his disappointment at the Bahrain GP. He did show that his Red Bull can still perform breathtaking overtakes this year as he managed to get past Leclerc for a brief moment during the race. However, Ferrari are still favourites to win the GP.
Our prediction is a 1st place finish for Charles Leclerc, 2nd place for Max Verstappen and 3rd place for Carlos Sainz as we expect the Scuderia to further increase their lead in the Contstuctors’ championship.
More F1 News
- Lewis Hamilton doesn’t support IOC’s decision on Black Lives Matter gear during Olympics
- Max Verstappen left surprised as he reaches 100 race milestone with Red Bull
- Damon Hill left in awe after Lewis Hamilton racks up 100 poles in F1 ahead of 2021 Spanish GP
Follow our dedicated Formula One page for instant Formula One news and updates
