GET UP TO SPEED WITH THESE FACTS AND STATS
Jeddah
NEED TO KNOW
FIRST GRAND PRIX:
2021
TRACK LENGTH:
6.174 KM
LAP RECORD:
1:30.734
LEWIS HAMILTON (2021)
MOST WINS:
2
MAX VERSTAPPEN
MOST POLE POSITIONS:
2
SERGIO PEREZ
PIT STOP
TIME LOSS:
(including 2.5s stationary)
POLE RUN TO TURN 1
BRAKING POINT:
OVERTAKES COMPLETED
IN 2024:
SAFETY CAR
PROBABILITY:
VSC
PROBABILITY:
TRIVIA
Jeddah has more corners than any other circuit on the F1 calendar (27)
THE DRIVER'S VERDICT
Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault F1 driver
This is one of the longer laps, and there are a lot of corners on paper, but a lot of them are high-speed kinks.
The corner that looks the most challenging here, I think, is Turn 10 - we’ve seen some drama when Mick Schumacher crashed in Qualifying in 2022 - because you’re coming through at the end of a really fast sequence, through the end of the first sector, and carrying a lot of speed.
It’s hard to see in and out of corners because it’s a fast street circuit, and the kerbs are quite raised as well, so if you go a little bit wide you can break traction, lose the car and, as we saw, the walls are very close.
It’s particularly punishing. I think the end of the first sector is the bit that’s the most heart-in-mouth at Jeddah. Also, Turn 22, you’re arcing through the right-hander and picking a line through the left - it’s very fast. A small misstep can have quite punishing consequences.
Verstappen made a mistake at the final corner in 2021 but, actually, it is one of the more routine ones. And, since Max made a mistake, the eyeline into it has changed as well, while a lot of the entries were changed for 2023 to improve visibility into corners.
For overtaking, there’s no problem with three DRS zones. The final corner, or duking it out into Turn 1, are drivers’ best bets. Drivers will also have to keep an eye out for slower cars throughout the weekend as it’s easy to trip up on traffic.
2024 WINNER
Max Verstappen (RED BULL)
2023 WINNER
SERGIO PEREZ (RED BULL)
2022 WINNER
MAX VERSTAPPEN (RED BULL)
2021 WINNER
LEWIS HAMILTON (MERCEDES)
2024 POLE POSITION
Max Verstappen (RED BULL)
2023 POLE POSITION
SERGIO PEREZ (RED BULL)
2022 POLE POSITION
SERGIO PEREZ (RED BULL)
2021 POLE POSITION
LEWIS HAMILTON (MERCEDES)
CURRENT FORM
What can be expected going into the Grand Prix weekend?
It was advantage Oscar Piastri last time out in Bahrain, the Australian converting pole position into his second victory of the season – and in the process moving himself into second place of the Drivers’ Championship, closing the gap to Lando Norris down to just three points.
Norris admitted to having a “messy race” in Sakhir and will be keen to make up for that this weekend in Jeddah – which also sets up for a potential McLaren intra-team battle as the team continue to look like the ones to beat.
Mercedes, meanwhile, still hold second place in the Teams’ Championship – though with a 58-point deficit to McLaren – and will be hoping to extend their run of form after another podium for George Russell in Bahrain, a performance that was hailed by Toto Wolff as an "unbelievable drive" amid various car issues.
Max Verstappen, on the other hand, faced a challenging outing in Sakhir en route to P6 – can Red Bull bounce back this time out? Ferrari will also be looking to make gains following mixed fortunes for the Scuderia in Bahrain, with team boss Fred Vasseur admitting that the squad need to “stay calm”.
Behind them, the midfield battle remains as close as ever. Alpine became the last squad to score points in 2025 with Pierre Gasly’s P7 in Sakhir, while Haas scored a slightly unexpected double points finish – meaning that the scrap amongst the pack could again be unpredictable this weekend.
ICONIC MOMENT
The first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
F1’s first visit to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in 2021 came during the closing stages of a fierce championship fight between Verstappen and Hamilton, who again found themselves dicing for victory after several run-ins earlier in the season.
Having at one point run off the track to defend his race lead, Verstappen was told to back down and concede the position to Hamilton, only for the Mercedes to run into the back of the Red Bull when the Dutchman slowed – adding yet another layer to an already hugely dramatic title battle.
Hamilton brushed off some front wing damage, gathered himself and went on the attack once more to take the victory away from Verstappen, who was hit with a 10-second penalty after the race for the incident.
