The Jeddah Street Circuit, also known as the Jeddah Cornice Circuit, is one of the latest additions to the Formula 1 calendar. Located in Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city, Jeddah, it’s not a permanent circuit but a temporary one. In 2023, Sergio Pérez, representing Red Bull Racing, emerged victorious.
After the Grand Prix, the circuit partially reverts to a public road. With 27 turns, it’s known as the fastest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar. It completes the list of night races alongside the Grands Prixs of Singapore, Bahrain, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi.
The circuit was designed by Christian Tilke, son of renowned circuit designer Herman Tilke. Situated by the Red Sea, it was expected after its inaugural edition in 2021 that the circuit would remain on the Formula 1 calendar for at least five years. The 2022 edition was a real thriller due to the spectacular duel between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, which was ultimately won by the eventual world champion.
The 2021 Showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
The 2021 race in Jeddah is still fresh in many people’s minds. A true clash of titans between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen took place in Saudi Arabia. Verstappen himself felt that this Grand Prix had nothing to do with racing, as the stewards were clearly interfering. The pressure was on, with Verstappen leading the World Championship and Hamilton hot on his heels. As we know, the Dutchman doesn’t give away gifts. Time penalties, miscommunications, and a lot of angry radio chatter made for a real spectacle in Jeddah. In the end, Hamilton kept his cool amidst the chaos and won the race. This led to Verstappen and Hamilton entering the season finale with an equal number of points. Nowadays, the Saudi Arabian GP is at the beginning of the season, so we’re unlikely to see such a championship thriller again soon.
The 2023 Saudi Arabian GP: Pérez, Master of Street Circuits
In 2023, the GP was claimed by Sergio Pérez. The Mexican is known for his performances on street circuits, and he demonstrated this on the Jeddah circuit. Max Verstappen started the race from the fifteenth starting spot, while Pérez started from pole. After an impressive comeback, Verstappen finished in second place. By recording the fastest race lap at the last minute, Verstappen maintained his lead in the World Championship standings. George Russell finished a distant third (+20sec).
