The 2022 F1 season continues with the Saudi Arabian GP set to take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on the 27th of March.
After an enthralling opening race in Bahrain, the city of Jeddah is all set to host the second outing of the F1 campaign. This is the second time an F1 race will be held in Saudi Arabia, with the first being in 2021.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit’s construction was completed last year itself. However, it went through several delays throughout, and there were concerns as to whether the race would go ahead as scheduled.
The 2021 Saudi Arabian GP, was chaotic to say the least. It’s high speed corers and narrow walls make overtaking dangerous, and we saw multiple safety cars and two restarts last year.
After just 8 months, the #JeddahCornicheCircuit is READY FOR ACTION!✅
Who’s excited to see best drivers in the world go racing at the #F1 stc #SaudiArabianGP?! 🏎🇸🇦🤩#OvertakeTheFuture #نسابق_المستقبل pic.twitter.com/OhQXy0qs23— Saudi Arabian GP (@SaudiArabianGP) November 21, 2021
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton took home the victory that evening, followed by Max Verstappen in second. Leading up to the end, the two engaged in a vicious duel on track, with them crashing into each other for the third time that year.
After the race, several drivers called for changes to be made to the track for safety concerns, including George Russell.
Also read: Ralf Schumacher thinks that Lance Stroll delivered a ‘shameful’ performance in Bahrain
How long is the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP?
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit features only one layout, that is 3.836 mi (6.174 km) long. It’s the longest circuit on the 2022 F1 calendar after Spa-Francorchamps.
The average speed around the Corniche Circuit is about 250 kmph (160 mph), and the track has a total of three DRS zones. The 2021 Saudi Arabian GP featured 50 laps of racing action.
The race weekend in Saudi Arabia will also feature an F2 race. The 2021 round featured two sprint races followed by a feature race. The sprint events were won by Marcus Armstrong and Oscar Piastri respectively.
This weekend, the potential #F1 champions of the future will compete in #F2 at the #JeddahCornicheCircuit! 🏎🇸🇦
Learn more about the category here!#SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/A2aVHbpqBx
— Saudi Arabian GP (@SaudiArabianGP) March 21, 2022
The feature race on the other hand, saw multiple crashes, which led to the race being called off mid-way. In the start, F2 drivers Theo Pourchaire and Enzo Fittipaldi suffered a horrible collision, due to which both were hospitalized.
Lap Time record at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit
There’s only been one Saudi Arabian GP before, in 2021. As a result, there’s no comparison basis as to who has been fastest over the years.
However, at the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP, it was Lewis Hamilton who was undisputedly the fastest driver. The seven-time World Champion qualified P1 for the race, and won it, while also getting the fastest lap.
In Formula 2, the fastest time was put up by eventual series Champion, Oscar Piastri.
| Name of Driver | Lap Time | F1 Car | Race | |
| F1 | Lewis Hamilton | 01:30.7 | Mercedes W-12 | 2021 Saudi Arabian GP |
| F2 | Oscar Piastri | 1.43:940 | Dallara F2 2018 | 2021 Jeddah F2 Round |
