Friday, January 7, 2022

Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Qualifying

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton secured his 103rd pole position during Saturday's qualifying session of the ongoing Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021, taking place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit this weekend. Meanwhile, Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas qualified for the race on Sunday at P2 and Verstappen at P3, having managed to finish as third fastest before slapping the wall on his final flying lap. Despite his crash, Verstappen qualified in third place, behind Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Controversy then began on Lap 37, as Hamilton had made use of DRS to pass Verstappen on the main straight, but Verstappen took back the lead cutting Turns 1 and 2, prompting the team to order Verstappen to give back the position. As he did so coming into the final turn, Verstappen abruptly slowed, causing Hamilton to collide into him and damaging his front wing. Despite the damage, Hamilton continued setting fastest laps and closed back into Verstappen again, who ceded the lead to him on the last turn again but reclaiming the lead as Hamilton ran wide.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton secured his 103rd pole position during Saturdays qualifying session of the ongoing Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021

Verstappen was then issued a 5-second time penalty for the corner cutting, before Hamilton finally took back the lead for good on the last corner on Lap 43 as the Dutchman's medium rubber started to lose performance. Bottas meanwhile had cleared Ricciardo for 4th during the chaos, as Vettel retired with a damaged car with five laps remaining. Mercedes extended their lead to 28 points in the constructors' standings from Red Bull, following Perez' retirement and Verstappen unable to strategically deny Hamilton the fastest lap point due to the time penalties imposed.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Meanwhile

Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Both McLaren drivers outscored Ferrari by one point after the race, meaning Ferrari were all but guaranteed to secure third in the constructors' championship, heading into Abu Dhabi. Despite losing out the podium position, Ocon closed into within 5 points of his team-mate. Last time out in Qatar, Hamilton converted his pole position to secure back-to-back wins and cut Verstappen's lead in the title race. The Red Bull driver had been handed a five-place grid penalty but quickly surged through the field to finish second to the Mercedes. Two and a half hours long, multiple red flags, tons of drama, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton making hard contact, and huge implications. The penultimate race on the F1 calendar ended with Hamilton getting the win amid controversy, and now there's a virtual tie for the championship going into the final race.

Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Hamilton seemed destined to cut into Verstappen's series lead as he got off to a fantastic start, but Red Bull got a huge break with a red flag while Verstappen held the lead. But then Verstappen got his own bad break on the re-start with a dicey move and had to give up track position. Finally, we also had a case where Hamilton hit Verstappen in an apparent miscommunication that became controversial as Hamilton said Verstappen braked and caused the hit. On 28 November, one week before the race, Williams co-founder and former owner Sir Frank Williams died at the age of 79.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Controversy then began on Lap 37

Teams sported tributes on their cars, and a minute's silence took place approximately one hour before the start of the race. On Sunday, former Williams driver Damon Hill did a lap of honour in the FW07, Williams's first championship winning car. Alpine ran a special livery for the weekend to commemorate their 100th race with one of their sponsors Castrol.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - As he did so coming into the final turn

On the eve of the race weekend, Williams CEO Jost Capito announced that he was tested COVID-positive, therefore missing the weekend with the team. Ello and welcome along to our live blog for Saturday's Saudi Arabia Grand Prix qualifying session, as we work out the starting grid for the penultimate race of the 2021 Formula 1 season. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are the favourites for pole position and, with overtaking so difficult at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, starting at the front will be crucial.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Despite the damage

Q3 is a final shoot out to set the top 10 spots on the grid on race day. The 10 drivers have 12 minutes to set the best lap they possibly can. Just like Qatar, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will also be a night race. This means that the timings for fans to watch the qualifying session are quite varied. The countries in the Asia-Pacific will have to sacrifice some sleep to watch the fastest cars in the world go on the fastest street circuit. The name Alfa Romeo boasts Formula 1 connections dating back to the championship's inception in 1950.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Verstappen was then issued a 5-second time penalty for the corner cutting

Fast forward to the 21st century and Italian flare combines with Swiss sensibilities in a new era for the team formerly known as Sauber. Having enjoyed considerable success in world sportscars, where he helped nurture the emerging talents of future F1 stars Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Peter Sauber guided his eponymous squad into F1 in 1993. The team has since established itself as a mainstay of the grid, becoming race winners under BMW's brief ownership, and developing a well-earned reputation not only for producing competitive cars, but also for developing young drivers...

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Bottas meanwhile had cleared Ricciardo for 4th during the chaos

Completing the points would be Ricciardo, Gasly, Leclerc, Sainz, Giovinazzi and Norris, who was among those pitted during the safety car and dropped to the back during the red flag periods. In the last weeks leading to the race weekend, photos circulated online showed that the circuit construction progress appeared to have been behind schedule. Race officials however assured that the track would be finished in time for the weekend, with the track finally receiving approval from the FIA one day before the first practice session on Friday. Hamilton will start the race on the P Zero Yellow medium tyres tomorrow, having used these to set his fastest time in Q2. This was the most popular choice for the Q2 session, with nine of the top 10 drivers on the grid starting on this compound in order to target a one-stopper.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Mercedes extended their lead to 28 points in the constructors

Five drivers ran the soft in Q2, but only McLaren's Lando Norris set his fastest time on this compound. I can tell you that there are 27 corners – that's a lot of corners – but unlike Singapore, where there's also a lot of corners, there's also quite a few straights, three DRS zones in Jeddah. It's fast, it'll be the second fastest lap in terms of average speed behind Monza, which for a street circuit is fairly awesome. I think it's going to be spectacular under the lights. I think they've done an excellent job to get the track ready, albeit some of the infrastructure around the track might not be quite as finished as the the local authorities would like it.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Both McLaren drivers outscored Ferrari by one point after the race

At the start of the session, In Q1, in case of red flags on the narrow, high-speed track, a host of drivers went out on track early in the session, including Red Bull Racing's Verstappen and team-mate Sergio PĂ©rez. They soon annexed the top two spots but after seeing their 'banker' laps quickly dismissed, it became clear that the opening session would be defined by the rapidly evolving track conditions and timing things right for a final run. Meanwhile, championship leader Max Verstappen looked on course to snag pole position from rival Lewis Hamilton before crashing on his final flying lap. Sunday's crazy race saw two red flags, multiple virtual safety car interventions and five drivers crash out before Hamilton won his eighth race of the season to level the drivers' standings. The practice sessions proved that despite its high-speed nature it is still a street circuit.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Despite losing out the podium position

On any street circuit, qualifying is the most important session for the teams and drivers, and Jeddah is not different. Verstappen holds an eight-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers' standings heading into the penultimate race weekend of the season and whoever takes pole position could have a crucial advance as the season heads down to the wire. The dramatic finish saw Hamilton tying with Verstappen in the drivers' standings heading into the final round; the first time since the 1974 Formula One season, wherein Emerson Fittipaldi won ahead of Clay Regazzoni.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Last time out in Qatar

However, Verstappen holds an advantage since the tiebreaker considers the number of race wins this season, which Verstappen has 9 compared to Hamilton with 8. The first incident began on the tenth lap, when Schumacher lost his rear and crashed his Haas heavily into the barriers at Turns 22 and 23 (in the same manner as Leclerc's FP2 crash), deploying the safety car. Those who did not pit before the red flag, such as Ocon and Ricciardo, gained a massive advantage in positions; 4th and 5th, respectively. Verstappen set the fastest overall time with the Mercedes duo behind, with Hamilton messing up on his initial flying lap. Hamilton later beat Verstappen's time with Bottas second fastest behind.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - The Red Bull driver had been handed a five-place grid penalty but quickly surged through the field to finish second to the Mercedes

The Grand Prix has received criticism from Amnesty International on the grounds of human rights in Saudi Arabia. In August 2019, plans for a permanent motorsports complex to be built in the city of Qiddiya were made public. During the event, it was confirmed that the track was designed to FIA and FIM Grade 1 standards. At the time, Formula One declined to comment on the possibility of a race.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Two and a half hours long

F1 lands at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix today as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton continue their epic battle. Hamilton trails Verstappen by eight points but starts on pole, so hold onto your helmets for a potential title decider! F1 fans in Luxembourg can stream the race for free. Make sure you know how to watch a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix free live stream wherever you are with a VPN. The championships are poised superbly with two rounds left in 2021.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - The penultimate race on the F1 calendar ended with Hamilton getting the win amid controversy

Max Verstappen leads Hamilton by eight points and Mercedes lead Red Bull by just five. Who holds the advantage in Saudi Arabia after three practice sessions? Mercedes looked to be on top on Friday but it was Verstappen who was fastest in FP3.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Hamilton seemed destined to cut into Verstappen

Hamilton and Mercedes failed to get the soft tyres working properly and Hamilton did not set a representative time on them. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton took the pole position for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix by recording the fastest lap time in the third and final round of qualifying. What makes the 50 laps on Sunday so hard to predict is the nature of the circuit.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - But then Verstappen got his own bad break on the re-start with a dicey move and had to give up track position

With its high-speed blind corners and near walls, it's almost unimaginable that a safety car or red flag will not intervene. Max Verstappen has an eight-point lead over Lewis Hamilton heading into these last two races of the 2021 Formula 1 season, so the importance on a good position in qualifying today is that much greater. The Red Bull star impressed in FP3, but the Mercedes driver will no doubt have a trick or two up his sleeve as he looks to retain his championship title.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Finally

The Jeddah circuit arrives with its urban identity, but with a complicated layout for the drivers. As it is a street circuit, there are almost no run-off areas in the corners. Given the complexity of the track, the barriers are very close, forcing the cars to be as careful as possible. During free practice two, Charles Leclerc was involved in an accident at turn 22, wrecking his Ferrari FS21.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - On 28 November

Each driver will have to exercise caution between turns 17 and 22, as this is where the first DRS zone is located, which has small corners and blind spots. Formula One has finally arrived at the Jeddah circuit for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It is being touted as the fastest street circuit in the sport and the two practice sessions certainly proved that. The track has a rapid feel to it, which is like Monza, but the walls are very close by, which is reminiscent of Monaco.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Teams sported tributes on their cars

F1 is all set to close the season with a bang at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are now tied on points after the chaotic Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, which brings the title fight down to the final race, where the winner takes it all. The weekend will feature the traditional format of qualifying and won't feature the recently introduced sprint qualifying. Since entering the sport in 1966 under the guidance and restless endeavour of eponymous founder Bruce, McLaren's success has been nothing short of breathtaking. Five glittering decades have yielded countless victories, pole positions and podiums, not to mention eight constructors' championships.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - On Sunday

What's more, some of the sport's greatest drivers made their names with the team, including Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen and Lewis Hamilton... Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's title race will resume on the track at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the Formula One world championship contenders battle for pole position ahead of Sunday's race today. Hamilton and Bottas led out of the start; with the top five drivers maintaining their positions, heading into the second lap. A few incidents unfolded behind, with Tsunoda dropping places after making contact with Ocon, and Stroll forced off-track at Turn 5 while running alongside Russell. As the Top 5 began pulling away from the field, Hamilton was constantly setting fastest laps; meanwhile Sainz, who had started in 15th, was making progress pushing through the midfield. Saturday qualifying will air on ESPNews and will be available via live stream at WatchESPN.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Alpine ran a special livery for the weekend to commemorate their 100th race with one of their sponsors Castrol

Sunday's race will air on ESPN with the same live stream option. You will need a cable log-in to stream both events, so if you don't have one, you can get a trial from YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, or Sling TV to stream the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix weekend. Verstappen went quickest in final practice and he will look to carry that through to secure pole position for Sunday's race.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - On the eve of the race weekend

Max Verstappen looked destined for pole position, but he hit the wall on the very last corner and that meant Lewis Hamilton could steal pole, with the Red Bull driver set to start behind Valtteri Bottas in third. This could prove to be a huge moment in the destination of the F1 title. Qualifying for Formula 1's Saudi Arabia Grand Prix on Saturday will set the grid for the penultimate race of the year. As reported by whatthifi, the fans can watch the qualifying session on both television and live stream.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Ello and welcome along to our live blog for Saturday

Established in 2006 as a squad in which young drivers from Red Bull's prodigious talent pool could cut their F1 teeth, AlphaTauri – originally named Toro Rosso – were formed from the ashes of the plucky Minardi team. Sebastian Vettel gave validity to the approach almost immediately, delivering a fairy-tale win in 2008, before going on to enjoy world championship success with parent team Red Bull Racing. Today the ethos of nurturing talent still holds true, though the Italian squad are no longer simply a 'B team' but a constructor in their own right... The drivers have praised the high-speed street circuit that spans 6.2 kilometers (3.8 miles), with 27 corners .

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are the favourites for pole position and

It was built along a 30-kilometer (18.6-mile) coastal resort area in Jeddah and workers were still completing final touches ahead of this weekend's F1 debut in the country. With a perfect race on Sunday, Verstappen could clinch his first F1 title with a victory and a seventh-place finish by Hamilton. But he may also receive a penalty on the starting grid if Red Bull needs to make significant repairs to Verstappen's car. It gave the current championship leader one final lap around the high-speed course to try to claim pole. But the Dutchman went wide in the second turn and nearly brushed the wall, then finally gave it a hard slam in the final turn as Verstappen desperately tried to bump Hamilton and Bottas from the front row. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit has 27 corners and is 6.175km in length, making it the second-longest circuit on the Formula 1 calendar behind Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and the longest street circuit in the sport.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Q3 is a final shoot out to set the top 10 spots on the grid on race day

Three consecutive sections of the circuit have been marked out as potential DRS Zones — where drivers can deploy drag reduction systems to increase top speed — ensuring plenty of overtaking opportunities. Nd welcome to our coverage for qualifying for the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, obviously. It's a new, high-speed track with walls close in and one that looks a little on the crazy side.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - The 10 drivers have 12 minutes to set the best lap they possibly can

Around 80 per cent of the lap is at full throttle and there are some corners which are reminiscent of Baku's final sector and a bit of the Singapore about it. So far we've had only one significant crash, when Charles Leclerc hit the wall in the final sector in FP2 yesterday. At one stage it looked as if the day might pan out very differently. With the race for the drivers' championship going down to the wire, Hamilton's pole in the penultimate race offers the seven-time world champion the perfect opportunity to close the gap on leader Verstappen, who will start the GP in third. Nicholas was again just short of qualifying for Q2, finishing only just behind Alonso having made a mistake on his final timed lap of the first run, which hurt his momentum through the session. George had a good session and qualified for Q2, close to both Alfa Romeos.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - Just like Qatar

We opted to complete a run on the Soft compound at the beginning of Q2 to get a time on the board and to see how it compared to those who ran the Medium. We then switched to the Medium, aiming to complete a three timed lap run. Unfortunately, having not run the Medium since FP1, we didn't quite get the balance right and George was unable to complete his final timed lap, which was a shame as we may have been able to challenge the three cars ahead. Amid a season where they've gone toe-to-toe all year, of course, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are tied for the championship lead going into the final race. Had to happen, Hamilton cut the eight-point deficit between himself and Verstappen by not just winning Sunday's race but also earning the bonus point for posting the single lap.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - This means that the timings for fans to watch the qualifying session are quite varied

Securing pole capped a dramatic day for seven-time champion Hamilton. He escaped a sanction for yellow flag incidents in Saturday practice after being summoned over an alleged failure to slow under double waved yellow flags, and for blocking the Haas of Nikita Mazepin. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, as title rival Max Verstappen crashed at the very last corner of his final lap. Hamilton went into qualifying with an impeding charge hanging over him following an incident with Nikita Mazepin in FP3, having been cleared of a separate offence of failing to respect double waved yellow flags during the same session.

formula 1 saudi arabian grand prix qualifying - The countries in the Asia-Pacific will have to sacrifice some sleep to watch the fastest cars in the world go on the fastest street circuit

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