Mercedes’ race to lose?

Dubb𓄧ed the ‘fastest street circuit in the world’, Saudi Arabia’s Jedda𝔉h Corniche Circuit is likely to be a Mercedes track on paper.

At 79 per cent full thro👍ttle (Monza is 85 per cent full throttle), engine peformance will be cru꧂cial to performing well in Jeddah this weekend.

The momentum is with Mercedes after Lewis Hamilton recovered from two setbacks at Interl♈agos to beat Max Verstappen to the victory, while the seven-time champion dominated proceedings in🎃 Qatar, and that was without the ‘spicy engine’.

Toto Wolff already confirmed that will run the 🥃'spicy engine' again in Jeddah - as he d꧑id in Brazil - which isn't good news for Red Bull.

The high-spee♕d, flowing nature of the circuit should ꧙play into Mercedes’ strengths but with it being a street circuit, it’s never going to be completely straightforward.

“It's a fast street circuit with 🎃long flat-out sections and several high-speed corners, lined by barriers meaning it𒁏'll be high risk and reward,” Wolff said ahead of the weekend.

“We're more motivated than ever and we expect to be in the hunt, so๊ we are all looking forward to the debut grand prix in Saudi Arabia.”

Mercedes is likely to have an advantage but at a street circuit,ಞ nothing is straightforward. 

Verstappen can be crowned champion

While Mercedes has the momentum 🃏at the moment, Verstappen could in fact take the title this weekend.

Verstappen has an eight-point lead going into Jeddah w🧔ith 𝓰52 points on the table.

It would require Hamilton having a disastrous race - If Verstappen finishes first and Hamilton finishes sevent👍h or loweꦫr then the title would be secured.

C𓄧ould it happen? In normal circumstances, no,♎ but it is a street circuit. 

Safety Cars, red flags, crashes ♋are all a high possibility as 𝄹we saw in Baku earlier in the year.

Battles that still need to be resolved

While all attention is understandably on the fight between Verstappen and Hamilton, there are still a number of fights that need to be resolved before the end of the seasꦬon.

Ferrari and McLaren are stilꦇl battling over third in the constructors’ championship.

Only four points in the last ♉three races f♋or McLaren has allowed Ferrari to pull 39.5 points clear. 

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s consistency has been impressive, 🐼w💟ith the latter on a 13-race scoring streak.

The high-speed Jeddah circuit is likely to play into McLaren’s hands, although, it was Leclerc on pole iℱn Baku back in the early part of the season.

Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are separated by just 13 points in the race for third behind their teammates - a spot at the FIA end of season gala i𝓰s on the line.

Alpine is 25 points ahead of AlphaTauri after an outstanding Qatar weeken⛎d, while Williams will ไbe hopeful Sunday’s race isn’t too chaotic to stop Alfa Romeo from closing the 12-point gap.

In memory of Sir Frank

The Williams F1 team h𝐆as confirmed there will be “num๊erous tributes” planned to celebrate the life of Sir Frank Williams - who died on Sunday, aged 79. 

Under Sir Frank’s leadership, Williams claimed nine constructors’ titles, seven drivers’ titles and 114 wins in total - statistics🦄 only bettered by Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes. 

The Williams family sold the team to current owners Dorilton l♊ast year, but the iconic name and branding have remained.ಌ 

The team is expected to run a tribute on its♏ car for this weekend in Jeddah.

“The sad events of last💖 weekend mean that this is our first race weekend without Sir Frank Williams as the patriarch and figurehead of the Williams organisation,” Dave Robson, head of vehicle performance said.

“Although he had only very rarely been at the track in recent years, he still hadඣ a strong presence in the garage; his passion, strength and unstinting enthusiasm p♚roviding additional motivation to those of us fortunate enough to race the cars bearing his name.

“Although an era ended last weekend, Frank’s legacy will live on and we will continue to race in the manner that he would expect, drawing upon his memory as a source of pride and inspiration. We send the ಞWilliams family our deepe♊st sympathies and reassure them that we will continue to honour his legend.”