Jeddah F1 racetrack to undergo changes ahead of 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to safety issues

Jeddah F1 racetrack to undergo changes ahead of 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to safety issues

Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

The inaugural Saudi Arabia Grand Prix brought Formula one to the religious state of Saudi Arabia. It was a transformative move for the Saudi society and the 34th Country visited by F1. The race takes place under floodlights and was a spectacle in itself.

The 6.17 KM long Jeddah track is widely regarded as the ‘fastest street track’, and second on the 2021 calendar only to Monza. Formula One cars simulated to have average speeds in excess of 250 km/h. At such high speeds, the dangers of blind corners and cars crashing into barriers could pose a critical risk to drivers.

Saudi GP’s CEO, Martin Whitaker, confirmed that changes are being made to the circuit to make it less challenging. He commented on the corners that will be adjusted to improve sightlines by moving barriers and widening the circuit in places. But with less than a month for the race, the task will be a race against time in itself.

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Jeddah F1 track lacking “safety perspective” according to Russell.

Saudi Arabia GP, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
Saudi Arabia GP

With the 2021 Saudi GP entertaining 2 red flag incidents, former GPDA director and current Mercedes driver George Russell told Autosport that the track was “lacking a lot from a safety perspective and a racing perspective“. Saudi Motorsport Company has given an update on the changes being added to the circuit.

“It has already been confirmed that some minor tweaks will be made to the circuit to help improve driver sightlines from the cockpit by improving visibility in several of the circuit’s corners including Turns 2, 3, 14 and 21 where the barriers will be moved back between 1.5m and 2m,” reads a statement from Saudi Motorsport Company.

It further read “Likewise, the barrier on the right-hand side of Turn 27 will be moved back by around 1.5m to widen the track at this point. In all cases except Turn 27, the track limit/edge will remain the same. In addition, further modifications will also be made to Turns 4, 16, 22 and 24 after consultation with the drivers.”

The 2022 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix will take place at the Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit on Sunday, March 27. Lewis Hamilton battled Max Verstappen and the race saw numerous racing incidents as the rivals went Wheel-to-Wheel. Lewis will be hoping to edge out Max again, to earn an early advantage on the driver’s championship.

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