Official 2023 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

We’re back in Saudi, home of oil, money and 147 executions last year.

The key question for the season is whether Red Bull’s performance was flattered in Bahrain, or whether Mercedes or (more likely) Ferrari will be closer. Interesting to see if Alonso can repeat the previous round’s performance- let’s hope so.

McLaren, Piastri and Norris will be hoping for some kind of miracle, but you don’t feel one is coming soon.

Here’s to a great, and terrorist incident free, race.

Date(s): Friday 17 to Sunday 19 March 2023.

UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and the race are shown as highlights on Channel 4.





2022 Race Highlights:

https://youtu.be/5xgEars7_gA

Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/documents/championships/fia-fo...

Weather forecast: (currently hot and sunny)

https://www.bbc.com/weather/108410

Tyre options:

Pirelli is bringing its medium compounds, so C2, C3 and C4



2022 Race Result:



Drivers’ Championship:



Constructors’ Championship:

[Piginapoke]

Derek Smith said:

Thanks, PitP. Your efforts increase the enjoyment of the sport.

[Piginapoke]

HustleRussell said:

PhilAsia said:

paulguitar said:

HustleRussell said:

paulguitar said:

HustleRussell said:

...against Leclerc and other drivers. However he very clearly has a massive bee in his bonnet about Hamilton for some reason and drives entirely differently against him.

Yes, he does seem to be very triggered by 8-time WDC Lewis. Not that it is likely to be an issue this season...

Will be interesting if he can race fairly against Alonso. His usual explanation for how well he behaves when racing against Leclerc, for example, compared to Hamilton is that he came up alongside Leclerc and other drivers his age so he can race against them well.

I really hope that is something we get to see. Some potential for fireworks there.

I genuinely feel Max has gone the route of "smashing into others to get the point across, until they ultimately steer clear every time". Once he then has the side-by-side 'fear of collision advantage', having a better performing car cements the deal.

All the drivers that grew up "racing" with Max learnt how he would go beyond what is reasonably expected sporting behavior and that is why they keep away from him. Lewis was an unknown and we saw how that went. Expect more of the same for Alonso if there it is clear he can actu-a-l-l-y challenge Max for the WDC, but slightly tamped down a bit because he does not have 8 titles...

I disagree actually, Verstappen and Leclerc had a few spicy battles on track last season with Leclerc appearing to give as good as he got and Verstappen drove fairly as far as I remember.

My running hypothesis is that Verstappen only really gets the red mist when it's Hamilton for some reason.

The reason this comes to mind now is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. 2021 was Verstappen vs. Hamilton, and Verstappen's driving was at it's absolute worst. I think that brake check was the worst thing I've seen him do- the top of a long list of bad things. 2022 was vs Leclerc, they exchanged places cleanly and Verstappen was full of praise for Leclerc afterwards. Very similar battle both years actually, gaming the DRS zones.

You’re right, it’s Hamilton that gives Max red mist, with other drivers he’s races excellently and cleanly. I think it’s all to do with a hangover from Copse corner.

[Piginapoke]

paulguitar said:

Piginapoke said:

You’re right, it’s Hamilton that gives Max red mist, with other drivers he’s races excellently and cleanly. I think it’s all to do with a hangover from Copse corner.

There were plenty of dodgy moves from him before that incident. Granted, he did get even worse thereafter.

Oh Max did plenty of naughty things when he started out, weaving in the braking area, driving people off the track etc. I think he’s matured though, last year when racing with leclerc was textbook really.

[Piginapoke]

PhilAsia said:

Sandpit Steve said:

paulguitar said:

That 2021 Saidi Arabia GP was properly stressful. Verstappen had binned it in quali and was acting properly unbalanced throughout the race. I was genuinely relieved after it was over that nobody had been injured.

Yep, it was a massive relief at the end of that race, that somehow no-one ended up in the hospital.

I’ve never seen a clearer case for a black flag in F1, than brake-testing another driver around a 300km/h unsighted curve.

Looked to see Lewis was close enough to hit him before stomping on the brakes too...

Hamilton had absolutely no intention of over taking Verstappen before the DRS line. I agree it was dangerous but it wasn’t 100% on Max, Lewis knew what he was doing and could have easily overtaken if he wanted to.

Here it is again: https://youtu.be/QS4Z38HhsMc

Edited by Piginapoke on Wednesday 15th March 08:22

[Piginapoke]

vaud said:

Still Mulling said:

Folks, can we move on please? This is the 2023 thread.

Indeed.

So Villeneuve and Pironi? Who was at fault?

Pironi, obvs

[Piginapoke]

HustleRussell said:

Byker28i said:

So, can anyone explain how Ferrari are having problems with the engine ecu, seeing as its a standard part used by all teams - or is it another bit? Packaging again, getting too hot?

Didn't they have similar issues in 2020?

Are they having problems with the engine ECU? It was the energy store in Bahrain?

Correct, it was the energy store (battery and associated electronics) rather than the ECU; in other words very much non standard parts!

To have a penalty in round 2 is peak Ferrari.

[Piginapoke]

vaud said:

Fiestapop11 said:

I might miss this due to moral reasons.

Are you going to skip the US GP as well - they have the death penalty?
Or Japan with a 99% conviction rate and the death penalty?
Or the UK with it's appalling record of colonialism?

Everyones moral compass is different, I'm provoking as to what is different here?

Democracy?