Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

The 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

The first edition of the Saudi GP will be held on a street circuit in the port city of Jeddah. This circuit will be designed by none other than Hermann Tilke, the German designer who supplies most of the modern circuits to F1.

Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal, who can be held responsible for bringing Formula 1 to Saudi Arabia, had a clear task for Tilke: It must not become a street circuit like Monaco. The prince wants speed and overtaking. So the layout of the track will be more like other modern street circuits, such as the one in Baku.

However, it is intended that F1 will eventually move to Qiddiya. This was until recently an empty spot in the desert outside the capital Riyadh, but they have big plans for it. A kind of city is being built here that is completely dedicated to entertainment, with golf courses, amusement parks and a race circuit.

What does the race weekend of the Saudi Grand Prix look like?

The Saudi Grand Prix is held on the first weekend of December and, together with the Abu Dhabi GP, marks the Arabian end of the F1 season. The first free practice will take place on Friday, December 3, followed by the second free practice in the afternoon. The third free practice and qualifying sessions will be held on Saturday 4 December, with the race taking place on Sunday 5 December, Saint Nicholas' birthday.

What time does the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix start?

As in Abu Dhabi, the race in Jeddah keeps European times. So FP1 will start at 12:30 UK time on Friday and FP2 will start at 16:00. The next day, FP3 starts at 13:00 and qualifying again at 16:00. The race will be broadcasted live on F1TV from 16:00 on Sunday.