The Formula 1 circus has set up its big top in Jeddah for just the third time ever as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix returns.
The lights went out on the 2023 campaign in Bahrain two weekends ago, where fans were looking forward to seeing the balance of power and, hopefully, a close fight for the win. Unfortunately they were disappointed, as no-one could even come close to the rampaging Red Bulls.
Max Verstappen sped off the line and into the distance, barely breaking a sweat on the way to an ominously dominant victory. Sergio Perez was a dozen seconds down the road, while the nearest car which didn't have Red Bull branding all over it was Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin – 38 seconds off the lead.
It is hoped that things may be a little closer this weekend in Jeddah. The track is more favourable for the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes, which may enable them to put up more of a fight and make up for their respective poor starts to the season.
Off the track, it is hoped there will be less drama. Last year, a missile strike was carried out on an oil depot 10 miles from the track which saw the drivers get together for hours of talks before eventually feeling reassured that it was safe to continue the race weekend.
Here's everything you need to know about the race weekend:
How can I watch the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in the UK?
Action from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will be broadcast live on Sky Sports throughout the weekend. Its dedicated F1 channel will provide coverage of all three practice sessions, qualifying and the race, as well as Round 2 of the Formula 2 championship. There is no Formula 3 event this weekend.
If you don't have a Sky Sports subscription, no need to worry. You can watch extended highlights of qualifying and the race a little later in the day on Channel 4. For those who prefer radio coverage, BBC Radio 5 Live continue to hold the rights in the UK.
What time is qualifying and the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?
Qualifying begins on Saturday at 8pm local time, meaning 5pm in the UK. The sessions usually last around an hour, meaning UK viewers will most likely know by 6pm who will be on pole for the race.
The main event begins 24 hours later with the formation lap scheduled for 5pm (UK time) on Sunday. Don't worry if you can't watch it – we'll have a full race report published on the chequered flag plus all the important reaction right here on Mirror Sport.
What's the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weather forecast?
Like the season opener in Bahrain, the Jeddah race takes place after sunset. That means it will be cooler than it would be during the day time, but air temperatures should still be around 25°C.
That goes for both qualifying and the race, though the practice sessions earlier on Friday and Saturday should be a little warmer. The chance of rain across the entire weekend is precisely 0%, so the intermediate and wet tyres should be left unused.
Who's starting the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on pole?
Sergio Perez took advantage of Max Verstappen's misfortune to set the fastest time in qualifying. The Dutchman suffered a mechanical issue which meant he will start the race 15th on the grid, though he refused to rule out the idea of still winning the race despite starting so far back.
Here's the full starting grid, taking into account a 10-place grid penalty for Charles Leclerc:
- Sergio Perez – Red Bull
- Fernando Alonso – Aston Martin
- George Russell – Mercedes
- Carlos Sainz – Ferrari
- Lance Stroll – Aston Martin
- Esteban Ocon – Alpine
- Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes
- Oscar Piastri – McLaren
- Pierre Gasly – Alpine
- Nico Hulkenberg – Haas
- Zhou Guanyu – Alfa Romeo
Charles Leclerc – Ferrari (qualified 2nd before penalty applied)
Kevin Magnussen – Haas
Valtteri Bottas – Alfa Romeo
Max Verstappen – Red Bull
Yuki Tsunoda – AlphaTauri
Alex Albon – Williams
Nyck de Vries – AlphaTauri
Lando Norris – McLaren
Logan Sargeant – Williams
