Saudi Arabian GP

F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023

After the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and Formula 1 reached an agreement on a long-term partnership, F1 took to the streets of Jeddah for the first time in 2021.

Whilst the Jeddah Corniche Circuit currently holds the race, organisers have said that there are plans to move the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to a purpose-built track in the future.

The street circuit is very fast, with average speeds of 252km/h, putting it second on the calendar behind only Monza. It also features 27 corners, the most on the F1 calendar, as drivers make their way past the Jeddah waterfront.

History

Being one of the latest additions to the Formula 1 schedule, the history of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is still very young.

The track was designed by the Tilke company in partnership with F1's Motorsport team who, to initially investigate possible layouts, used Google Earth to do so. The circuit is a temporary street track, though has some permanent sections.

Ross Brawn, F1's Managing Director, said of the circuit: "What we want to see is a race circuit. We don't want Mickey Mouse circuits. We don't want those old classic street circuits with 90 degree turns.

"We want fast sweeping circuits, circuits which are going to challenge the drivers – and they are going to love it."

The 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

The 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was the second event of the campaign, following on from Ferrari achieving a 1-2 finish at the season-opening race in Bahrain.

Red Bull – who had failed to score points in Bahrain after both cars suffered mechanical issues – set the pace in qualifying thanks to Sergio Perez securing his first pole position in F1.

But it was Perez's teammate, Max Verstappen, who took the battle to Charles Leclerc on race day. The Dutchman fought with the Scuderia driver for much of the latter stages of the race.

It was ultimately Verstappen who claimed victory, with Leclerc second and Carlos Sainz in third.

When is the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on the F1 calendar?

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on the weekend of 17-19 March and will be the second race of the 2023 Formula 1 season. The first two free practice sessions will take place on 17 March, with qualifying on Saturday 18 March at 17:00 GMT.

What time does the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix start?

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix starts on 19 March 2023 at 17:00 GMT. The race can be followed live on RacingNews365's live blog.