RW 2 – Tyre Selection

Just a few days on from the opening race of the season, Formula 1 has decamped from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia for round 2.
From a track with a very abrasive asphalt, where degradation is high and stability under braking and traction are key factors, we now move to a track with quite a smooth surface and very high speeds.

At 6.174 kilometre in length, it is the second longest track on the calendar with 27 twisty corners, the most of any circuit and the drivers will tackle it 50 times on Saturday.

Based on the experience of the previous three races here, Pirelli has chosen its three mid-range compounds, the C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft.
In Jeddah, it is quite possible to have a one-stop race with the drivers swapping between Medium and Hard depending on their grid positions.

As this is a street circuit, there are not many run-off areas and so the risk of accidents is quite high, aswell as seeing the Safety Car on track or even having the race red flagged. Overtaking here is pretty tricky, with the best opportunity coming on the entry to Turn 1.

Not only this but of course with a street circuit, track evolution can be very high and in qualifying it will be crucial to choose the right moment to go out on track to set a good time.