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F1 is all set to travel to Saudi Arabia for the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the brand new Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Featuring three DRS zones and having a total length of 6.174km, it is the second-longest track on the calendar after Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. The track is the fastest street circuit on the calendar, with average speeds expected to exceed 250kmph.
With Red Bull's Max Verstappen leading Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in the drivers' championship by eight points, their battle will remain the focal point over the weekend. Mercedes will also be looking to build on their five-point advantage over Red Bull Racing in the constructors' championship.
#F1 - Before the 2021 FIA @F1 World Championship season finale at Yas Marina, teams and drivers must first face the challenge of the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the new Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Preview 👉 fia.com/news/f1-2021-s…#SaudiArabianGP https://t.co/rdUKLSbTg3
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will feature all three practice sessions
With the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend being the last one to feature the newly-introduced sprint format, we will see a return to the three-practice session format at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit hosts the inaugural #SaudiArabiaGP, the 34th country to host a #Formula1 race. Get all the details ahead of the penultimate round of the season. 🇸🇦 #F1 #Fit4F1 #Pirelli press.pirelli.com/2021-saudi-ara… https://t.co/oAwBFHkCwM
While practice sessions are always key to arriving at an ideal setup, it will take on an added importance this weekend due to the lack of any previous data. Being a street circuit, the stakes are raised even further as there are walls on either side of the narrow straights and esses.
Consequently, all three practice sessions could see teams experimenting with a variety of simulations and setups, with some favoring qualifying pace while others focus on their race trim.
TV Schedule for F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix practice sessions
The following is the TV schedule for the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix:
USA
FP1 - 8:30 am ET, Friday, December 3, 2021
FP2 - 12:00 pm ET, Friday, December 3, 2021
FP3 - 9:00 am ET, Saturday, December 4, 2021
UK
FP1 - 1:30 pm GMT, Friday, December 3, 2021
FP2 - 5:00 pm GMT, Friday, December 3, 2021
FP3 - 2:00 pm GMT, Saturday, December 4, 2021
India
FP1 - 7:00 pm IST, Friday, December 3, 2021
FP2 - 10:30 pm IST, Friday, December 3, 2021
FP3 - 7:30 pm IST, Saturday, December 4, 2021
Where to stream FP1, FP2 and FP3 of the F1 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?
USA
Fans in the U.S. can watch the practice sessions on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
UK
UK viewers can catch the practice sessions on Sky Sports F1
India
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Indian fans can watch the practice sessions on Star Sports Select and Star Sports Select HD 2. All three sessions can be streamed as well, on Disney Hotstar+.
