The fall from Qiddiya and a fall from grace

Welcome to Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where the driver in pole starting position of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be just 168 metres away from their turn one braking point.At least drivers won’t yet have to brave the 20-storey elevation into the first turn which await at Saudi Arabia’s proposed Qiddiya circuit, which would require drivers to take their first turn 70 metres above ground. Very little has been said about the safety measures to keep cars from falling off the bend, 70 metres down onto a concert venue. The Stake/Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas has, however, spoken in favour of this first turn design sharing with his 4 million Instagram followers: “I’m down for this kinda rollercoaster!”Drivers are just as excited to return to the Jeddah Corniche circuit after the drivers’ union representative George Russel was quoted in the media naming the Jeddah asphalt surface “the gold standard”. With more corners than any other circuit on this year’s F1 calendar, drivers will need all the grip they can get to wind through the fast-paced corners. Lewis Hamilton still holds a lap record around these parts with a time of 1:30.734 posted in 2021. Former Renault driver and F1 commentator, Jolyon Palmer, has noted that the raised corners on the circuit provide an extra challenge given the speed at which drivers are expected to weave through it. Jeddah is expected to be one of the tracks at which the highest speeds of the season are recorded, with an expected total pit stop time loss of 20.1 seconds when factoring for 2.5-second pit stops. Teams may be able to reduce the time lost in the pits under safety car conditions, of which official F1 sources say there is 100% chance, with a 67% chance of a virtual safety car. Former Aston Martin strategist, Bernie Collins, has said to F1: “In Saudi Arabia, there’s high expectation that – due to the nature of the circuit and close barriers – the safety car will appear. You’re not necessarily planning your strategy totally around that, but you’ll be trying to take those opportunities and get the reduced pit loss – i.e. not stopping just before the safety car comes out.”After a spectacular win in Bahrain last week, Red Bull were finally forced to address the elephant in the room: the Horner allegations. After Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner were allegedly seen in a heated argument on the Bahrain paddock, the world saw a different side of the recent allegations when a Google Drive containing screenshots and rather intimate images emerged, alleged to be from Horner’s interactions with a female employee. Verstappen Senior has also been quoted in multiple media outlets alleging that Horner will tear Red Bull apart if he remains at the team. This gave rise to rumours of his son, the current world champion Max Verstappen’s intended move to Mercedes. – irene@republikein.com.na

The fall from Qiddiya and a fall from grace

Kommentaar

Republikein 2026-05-05

Meld asseblief aan om kommentaar te lewer

The fall from Qiddiya and a fall from grace

Kommentaar

Republikein 2026-05-05

Meld asseblief aan om kommentaar te lewer

Intekening vereis om toegang tot inhoud te kry. ×

MELD AAN

Advertensie

Intekening vereis om toegang tot inhoud te kry.