F1 Saudi Arabian GP 2025: Everything you need to know

Oscar Piastri won the race last week at the Bahrain GP

The fifth race of the Formula 1 (F1) season takes the paddock to the coast of the Red Sea, and the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.

Located along the Red Sea, this night race is one of the most exciting and challenging events on the F1 calendar. This race will mark the final leg of the year’s first triple-header, following races in Japan and Bahrain.

Here is everything you need to know before we hit the weekend race.

The Championship Battle So Far

After four races, the championship is incredibly close. Oscar Piastri’s dominant win in Bahrain has brought him within three points of his teammate, Lando Norris. Max Verstappen is close behind, trailing Norris by only eight points. George Russell’s strong performance in Bahrain leaves him just 14 points adrift. This year’s Drivers’ Championship is as competitive as ever.

While in the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren leads by 48 points over Mercedes. They’ve been the strongest team so far this year and will look to continue that momentum in Jeddah.

What makes Jeddah special?

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit was first introduced in 2021 and is known for its high-speed straights, tight corners, and narrow walls that leave very little margin for error.

The circuit is 6.174km long, making it the third longest track on the calendar after Spa and Las Vegas and is officially the fastest STREET circuit in the world. Even the smallest mistakes on this track could lead to a costly crash.

Hamilton won the first Saudi Arabian GP in 2021, but Red Bull has dominated since- with Verstappen winning in 2002 and 2024, and Sergio Perez in 2023.

The Future: Jeddah or Qiddiya?

Originally, the Saudi Arabian GP was meant to move to a brand new facility in Qiddiya by 2024. However, with the megaproject’s construction delayed, Jeddah will remain the host until at least 2027.

The Qiddiya track, located just outside Riyadh, is part of a broader entertainment and tourism complex and is still under development. Even after it’s ready, there’s uncertainty about whether the race will rotate between Jeddah and Qiddiya- or whether Saudi Arabia could host two races in one season.

Jeddah was initially meant to be a temporary venue for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after delays in building the Qiddiya track. The circuit was quickly built so the first race could take place in 2021. While it’s considered a street track, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is actually purpose-built. There have also been efforts to make it suitable for other racing events, including Formula E.

Prince Khalid, chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company, has stated, “Saudi Arabia is a very big country. It can happen, but will it happen? It’s too early to discuss this.” 

“To have two races or rotate between Qiddiya and Jeddah, it is too early to discuss. Our main focus now is to enjoy what’s remaining in Jeddah and look forward to moving to the new facility in Qiddiya and take things forward from there when we reach that point. But it’s too early, we have nothing in plan.”

Saudi Arabian GP 2025: Updated Timings and Schedule

Weather Forecast

The race weekend in Jeddah will be hot and dry with no rain expected. Windy conditions might make things tricky for the teams, especially on Friday and Sunday.

18 April, 2025

• Min. Temperature – 29
• Max. Temperature – 31
• Chances of rain – 0
• Winds – Gusts upto 35km/h, decreasing FP2

19 April, 2025

• Min. Temperature – 30
• Max. Temperature – 32
• Chances of rain – 0%
• Winds – Northwestern breeze, still gusty

20 April, 2025

• Min. Temperature – 30
• Max. Temperature – 31
• Chances of rain – 0%
• Winds – Gusts upto 35km/h early, expected to ease during the race

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