Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
The 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was the first-ever Formula 1 race held in Saudi Arabia. It was held on the Jeddah Street Circuit, a brand-new street circuit that is 6.175 kilometers in length and has 27 corners. The race was the penultimate round of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship, and it attracted a lot of attention from motorsport fans around the world.
The Jeddah Street Circuit was designed to be one of the fastest street circuits in the world, with an average speed of around 250 km/h. It featured a number of challenging corners and long straights, making it a true test of skill and bravery for the drivers. The circuit was also quite narrow, which added an extra element of danger to the race.
The weekend got off to a dramatic start, with several drivers crashing during practice sessions. The most notable of these crashes was the one involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who hit the wall hard during the second practice session. Verstappen was able to walk away from the crash unharmed, but his car was badly damaged and the Red Bull team had to work hard to get it ready for qualifying.
In qualifying, it was Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas who took pole position, setting a blistering lap time of 1:25.017. His teammate Lewis Hamilton qualified second, just 0.166 seconds behind. Verstappen, despite his earlier crash, was able to qualify in third place.
On race day, the atmosphere was electric as fans gathered around the Jeddah Street Circuit to watch the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. As the lights went out, Bottas got a good start and led into turn one. Hamilton, however, got a better start and was able to overtake Bottas into turn two. Verstappen, meanwhile, got a poor start and dropped back to fifth place.
As the race progressed, Hamilton was able to build a small lead over Bottas, while Verstappen began to make his way through the field. He passed Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris to move up to third place, and then set his sights on Bottas in second.
On lap 43, Verstappen made his move on Bottas, overtaking him into turn one. Bottas tried to fight back, but Verstappen was too quick and held onto the position. From there, Verstappen set his sights on Hamilton in first place, who had built up a lead of around five seconds.
Despite his best efforts, Verstappen was unable to catch Hamilton, who took the chequered flag to win the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen finished second, while Bottas completed the podium in third place. Norris finished in fourth place, while Leclerc completed the top five.
The race was not without its controversies, however. On lap 48, Verstappen was deemed to have gained an advantage by cutting a corner, and he was given a five-second time penalty. This dropped him back to third place, behind Bottas. Verstappen was not happy with the decision, and he made his feelings known after the race.
Overall, the first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was a thrilling race that showcased the skill and bravery of the world’s best drivers. The Jeddah Street Circuit proved to be a challenging and exciting track, and it is sure to become a popular venue for motorsport fans around the world. With the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix already confirmed, it is clear that Formula 1 is committed to expanding its presence in the Middle East, and we can look forward to many more exciting races in the years to come.
