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The F1 circus reaches Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian GP this weekend. With a 23-race calendar, these back-to-back races are going to be the norm this year. Well, we F1 fans are certainly not complaining. The Bahrain GP was worth a watch as it had everything to watch in a race.
The Saudi Arabian GP? Well, this race belongs in the 'must watch' category of F1 races.
Why you ask? In this piece, we will run you through three reasons why the Saudi Arabian GP is a must-watch event.
Why is the Saudi Arabian GP a "must watch" race?
#1 Remember what happened last year?
The Saudi Arabian GP last season was a roller coaster ride last year. It had great overtakes, it had safety cars, it had red flags and it had some crazy restarts to add to the action. The circuit is ridiculously fast, it's twisty, and it's almost a sponge for incidents.
Last season featured controversial clashes between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the race and the last corner podium snatching overtake from Bottas. If there is a race that can advertise unpredictability and action at the same time then it's going to be this one.
#2 Red Bull's wounds are still fresh
Red Bull suffered heartbreaking double DNFs at the Bahrain GP as neither car was able to make it to the chequered flag last week. The team will still be reeling from the disappointment of the last race and looking to bounce back here.
It was slightly evident that Ferrari had caught Red Bull unawares to an extent with the kind of performance it was able to deliver. However, Red Bull, with a very handy car for the season, will be looking to take back the initiative from the Italian squad in this race.
#3 The pecking order is still unpredictable
We're just in the second race of the season right now. Most of the testing and racing has been done in Bahrain. While there are some characteristics of the Bahrain track that do match what Jeddah offers, it's not entirely the same track. Jeddah awards a lot more high-speed corner efficiency than Bahrain. Plus there are other variables like the tires as well as the track surface.
Will we yet again see the usual suspects rise to the top? Maybe not. The pecking order is still not entirely clear and it will add to the element of unpredictability for the weekend.
