Grand Prix thread STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2021

The 50 laps of new Jeddah Corniche 6.174km Circuit

3rd December Practice 1 13:30 - 14:30
3rd December Practice 2 17:00 - 18:00
4th December Practice 3 14:00 - 15:00
4th December Qualifying 17:00 - 18:00
5th December Race 17:30 - 19:30

All times are UK times

Poll closes before Quali.
Maybe the poll should be will Max take Lewis out???

 

Hamilton gets his rocketship engine this weekend?

Barring reliability issues, I think the biggest factor in the title battle could well be Bottas. Hamilton and Verstappen are capable of finishing 1,2 in both races, and Bottas is the only one who can realistically get in the mix.

 

I gotta go for somebody outside the top two, because if I don't, then the championship could be done this weekend.... So sorry, Bottas!

 

Doesn't this just mean Bottas is now going to take a new engine and start at the back of the grid? xD

 

Just watched a track overview from Sky - I predict a few safety cars and not much on track overtaking! Looks like it will punish any slight errors big time.
Could be fun but could be quite processional.

 

I think this looks twisty to me so I think the talk of it.being a.merc track is a bit premature for me.

If the claims of horner last time about similar top speeds were believable after additional wing scrutiny then this could be a sweeping high speed high down force track l.

I cant call it till p1 and p2 are done.

Imo this is a must win for verstappen

 

Looking at the DRS zones, 3 in a row, I think it is with the idea he who has been overtaken on the first zone can fight back on the next two. Tactically then, overtake on the last DRS zone so they can't come back at you, unless their car is good in the corners. Translate that to allow yourself to be overtaken on the first zone as you will have two zones to take the position back.
For some reason, linked to past performance, I am not imagining Bottas getting in the middle of the fight between Lewis and Verstappen. I am looking forward to the next 2 weekends though. Still want Lewis to get the 8th but don't see it as a given, I am expecting the unexpected, a lot at stake.

 

Yes.

 

Kinda seems like Baku?

 

I can't see Mazapin finishing this race, and a crash in the wrong spot is going to be red flag territory.

 

Red Bull need Perez to sort himself out, way off the pace so far.

 

So its too tight to call right now after P1. Any insights into the runs that were made? I'm in work so what is the impression?

 

Merc started on Softs and Red Bull on Hards!! Seems like there are not many overtaking opportunities and lots of very close walls to bring out safety cars!
It's going to be very close but Perez looks adrift at moment, so Bottas may very well help Lewis and Merc in a big way.

 

It's FP1. Bit early to take anything from it.

 

should be fun. marzipan or schumacher or tsunoda are prime candidates to plank one.

the constructers is all about bottas.

anything could happen with the drivers.

any impression of the track greenness?

 

They seemed to have cleaned most of the dust off the track. Max was right on it from the first lap, track seems quite grippy. Lewis took a few laps to wind things up. Either Red Bull have more spares or Max was just being Max and risking it all from first lap.

I have a feeling it won't just be the less experienced drivers who hit the walls!

 

I keep seeing white flags being waved. Sky saying that it indicates slow moving car!
Have I missed something, not seen white flags before and they don't seem to be listed anywhere I can find?

 

One lap to go.

 

That's what I thought they were used for. They seem to be being used to indicate to drivers on a fast lap that there is a car on a slow lap round the next corner!
Think they have a bit of an issue in quali with so many cars on track doing warm up, cool down and fast laps! Fia need to sort this as too many fast blind corners.

 

Everyone seems to be losing the rears a lot