The two title contenders are even closer to their moment of truth after the penultimate round of the 2021 season.
In the realm of Formula One, there is a huge amount of activity that needs to be dissected. Max Verstappen, the young driver from the Netherlands and Belgium who has showed extraordinary prowess on the track, needs 18 more points to win the championship for the season. In spite of the fact that Lewis Hamilton is eight points behind Sebastian Vettel in the standings, both drivers will be venturing into unfamiliar terrain at the inaugural Saudi Arabian grand prix. There has been much discussion on the Jeddah Corniche track; yet, it is anyone’s guess as to whose strengths the most recent addition to the Formula One calendar will play to. In under eight months, the racetrack evolved from being an idea to a functioning facility, setting a new standard for the construction of racetracks. Jeddah is a street track, just like Baku and Monaco, but the debris that comes from all the building that seems to be going on surrounding the circuit could be a concern for the drivers. Baku and Monaco are also on the same continent.
It would appear that the drivers are doing a good job of familiarising themselves with the course after the first round of free practise. Even though Mercedes is in in the lead for the Constructors’ title, it appears that Hamilton has the upper hand on the Jeddah circuit as well, as he led FP1 with relative ease. In light of the fact that the race between Hamilton and Verstappen is likely to be decided by the narrowest of margins, neither driver can afford to make even a single error on this track, which is entirely foreign to them. Given the success that Mercedes has had in the United Arab Emirates over the past few years, it is expected that Lewis Hamilton will win the final round that takes place there. But nobody really knows what is going to take place here in Jeddah.
Coming off of two key victories in Brazil and Qatar, Hamilton continues to be in excellent form at Jeddah. Hamilton is also heading into a race with a car that, according to the Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, “is in the best place it has been all season.” Hamilton is expected to win the race. It is anticipated that this course will have higher average speeds than the majority of racetracks, even Silverstone, due to its lengthy straightaways and challenging bends. It is anticipated that the drivers will also pay respect to Frank Williams, the founder of Williams Racing and an icon in the world of motorsports who passed away earlier this week at the age of 79.
As a result of tyre formulations that are probably going to be softer than usual, the vehicles are going to be moving at an unbelievable rate. This, in conjunction with the high dust particulate matter and the tight turns, ensures that this race will, in one way or another, be an exciting sight.