More visibility and speed due to new changes on track in Saudi Arabia

This weekend we head to Jeddah for the second time in a short time for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. Although there are only a few months between the 2021 race and the upcoming edition, there have been quite a few changes made to the track. Conversations with drivers about the track have, in part, made that happen. The changes should largely ensure that the drivers have a better view of the street circuit.

Better visibility for the drivers in Jeddah

It won't be very big changes. The circuit will still have 27 corners and the speed is also extremely high this year. First, there will be a change in the second and third corners. Immediately after the start-finish section, the drivers have to go through a chicane and last year we saw a crash there between Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, which also caused George Russell and Nikita Mazepin to crash out.

This year, the visibility in these corners will be a bit better, as the wall in those corners will be moved about two meters backwards. The same will happen in Turn 14 and 21. Turn 14 is the second turn of the second sector. Turn 21 is just before the fast chicane, where the drivers go through at high speed and where Mick Schumacher lost control of his Haas in the race last year.

Last corner modified after Verstappen crash

Changes are also being made to the final corner, where things went wrong for Max Verstappen in qualifying. While the other changes kept the track limits the same, this is not the case in the final corner. There, the drivers are given more space at the exit of the corner. The corner where Verstappen threw away his possible pole position.

In 2021 Verstappen was still negative about the circuit in Jeddah. He said then that "it is quite a dangerous circuit. There are so many blind corners, so if someone is slow in a corner, you won't know until you get there. I do expect some problems." Those problems eventually came in the race, but the organizer hopes that with the new changes they can solve many of those problems.

More pushing the limit this weekend

In consultation with the drivers, the organization also replaced a number of walls. In2021 the drivers already stated that changes had to be made to the circuit to improve safety. So now the drivers can really go for the wall in turns 4, 16, 22 and 24. There they have supplemented the concrete walls of last year with steel plates. This allows the drivers to seek the limits without possible damage.

Last season the drivers praised the track, with its high speeds and fast corners. However, the only downsides were that it would be dangerous and that visibility was very poor at some points. With the changes the organization has made, they hope to solve those problems as well and that the racing can become even more exciting this edition.