'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Saudi Arabian GP will be conducted this weekend at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. This will be the second race for the country after its inaugural race last season that saw plenty of action from start to finish.
The track is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar and is going to be a challenge in the new generation of cars that are expected to be faster in the fast-speed corners than last season.
Having said that, in this piece, we will preview the Saudi Arabian GP, and in the end, share our predictions on how we expect the weekend to pan out. So without further ado, let's jump straight to it.
2022 F1 Saudi Arabian GP Form Guide
Who looks good before the Saudi Arabian GP?
After scoring the maximum possible points at the Bahrain GP, it's hard to look beyond the combination of Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. The team-driver duo was flawless throughout the weekend as Leclerc snatched pole position on his last flying lap and then, throughout the race, made no mistake while in the lead.
Who does not?
It was a surprise to see how far down the order McLaren finds itself in 2022. Lest we forget, the team picked up a pole position, a win, and multiple podium finishes last season and was comfortably the fourth fastest car on the grid.
The two drivers have started this season finishing outside points. McLaren is in a spot of bother right now and needs to make amends soon.
Key Storylines for the F1 Saudi Arabian GP
#1 How safe is the Jeddah circuit?
While returning to the track at the Saudi Arabian GP, one of the biggest concerns will be what happened last year. The race featured multiple red flags, crashes, collisions, and stoppages not only in the GP but also in the supporting F2 races as well.
The track is fast and narrow, and while this is a recipe for an action-packed race, it remains to be seen how safe it is to race on the track. We already had an F2 race abandoned last year due to a crash during the race. This year, we return to the track in cars that are going to be potentially faster on its more vulnerable bits. The organizers and the FIA will be keeping their fingers crossed once the race begins on Sunday.
#2 Will Sebastian Vettel make a return from COVID?
Sebastian Vettel missed the first race of the season after testing positive for COVID. Looking at the competitiveness of the car, it does appear that Vettel's presence would not have made much of a difference as Aston Martin was nowhere close to being a points contender.
Having said that, while Daniel Ricciardo was able to make a return to the Bahrain GP after contracting COVID the week prior, Vettel's participation, at the time of writing is still guaranteed. In case the German is still not fit to race, we might see Nico Hulkenberg playing the role of the super-sub once again.
#3 What will be the impact of the new layout on the pecking order?
The new generation of cars has done the bulk of their running in Bahrain. We had established a pecking order in Bahrain. Now, as we move to a street track that is supposed to have a lot of fast speed corners, what impact it will have on the competitiveness of the cars remains to be seen.
Some cars are suffering from porpoising more than others, and the long straights in Jeddah can work against them. At the same time, some cars are better in the slow corners as compared to the fast ones, these cars could be at a disadvantage as well.
All in all, Jeddah has a completely different circuit characteristic from Bahrain. It wouldn't be a surprise if an entirely different pecking order emerges during the Saudi Arabian GP.
Predictions for F1 Saudi Arabian GP
Race win
Even before the start of the race, it's fair to say that the battle for the win is going to be between Ferrari and Red Bull. In Bahrain, it might not be that much of a stretch to say that Red Bull had no answer for Ferrari and were handicapped by the multitude of issues the car faced.
In the Saudi Arabian GP, Red Bull will be better prepared for the challenge against Ferrari. To add to this, their car does hold the advantage over the fast-speed corners (while Ferrari is quicker on the slower speed corners) and that could play a pivotal role throughout the weekend.
For this race, we're going with Max Verstappen to win the race and kickstart his championship campaign.
Surprise of the Bahrain GP weekend
Team
Alpine has been quite vocal with how it has been able to keep control over porpoising in its car. The Saudi Arabian GP track features long fast stretches that could spell trouble for cars that are still suffering from porpoising and hand the advantage to cars that have a better handle on it.
In our view, we might see Alpine jump to the front of the midfield this weekend while other cars are hampered by the porpoising effect on their car.
Driver
Mick Schumacher had a rather disappointing start to the season in Bahrain. Teaming up with Kevin Magnussen, the German was completely outclassed by the Danish driver in both qualifying and the race.
Coming into the second race of the season, Schumacher, on the week of his 23rd birthday, will be looking to make amends. Notorious for taking his time to get up to pace during a season, in our view, we're picking the young driver to be the surprise of the weekend as he beats his more experienced teammate at Haas.
Disappointment of the Bahrain GP weekend
Team
Two of the biggest concerns (amongst others) that Mercedes is facing with its car right now are the excessive drag down the straights and the porpoising effect on its cars. On a track like Saudi Arabia, these are the two characteristics that are the least desirable in a car and can be a huge deterrent.
As for the Saudi Arabian GP, we're predicting Mercedes to be the disappointment of the weekend. We feel that due to the car issues that it faces, the gap between the German team and the front will widen and it will be forced to fend off the advances of the midfield.
Driver
Lance Stroll had an average race at the Bahrain GP. He, however, did get exposed to an extent by Nico Hulkenberg when the German outqualified Stroll by three-tenths despite having no prior testing experience in that car. The Canadian did get back the place against Hulkenberg when the German made a mistake and ran wide into Turn 1.
For the Saudi Arabian GP, either Sebastian Vettel makes a return to the grid or Nico Hulkenberg, with more experience under his belt, takes the seat. In either of these scenarios, we're predicting Lance Stroll to be the disappointment of the weekend as he gets out qualified and outraced by his teammate.
