NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Formula 1 moves on from Bahrain to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, marking the final stop of a triple header sequence. Need to Know is your all-in-one guide with statistics, driving pointers, strategy tips and plenty more.

Free Practice 1 and 2 will take place on Friday, April 18, followed by Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, April 19, and the Grand Prix itself on Sunday, April 20.

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Vital statistics

First Grand Prix – 2021
Track Length – 6.174km
Lap record – 1m 30.734s, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2021
Most pole positions – Sergio Perez (2)
Most wins – Max Verstappen (2)
Trivia – Jeddah has more corners than any other circuit on the F1 calendar (27)
Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 168 metres
Overtakes completed in 2024 – 52
Safety Car probability – 100%
Virtual Safety Car probability – 50%
Pit stop time loss – 19.2 seconds (including 2.5s stationary)

The driver’s verdict

Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: This is one of the longer laps, and there are a lot of corners on paper, but a lot of them are high-speed kinks.

The corner that looks the most challenging here, I think, is Turn 10 – we’ve seen some drama when Mick Schumacher crashed in Qualifying in 2022 – because you’re coming through at the end of a really fast sequence, through the end of the first sector, and carrying a lot of speed.

It’s hard to see in and out of corners because it’s a fast street circuit, and the kerbs are quite raised as well, so if you go a little bit wide you can break traction, lose the car and, as we saw, the walls are very close.

ONBOARD: Max Verstappen’s 2024 Pirelli Pole Position Award lap at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

It’s particularly punishing. I think the end of the first sector is the bit that’s the most heart-in-mouth at Jeddah. Also, Turn 22, you’re arcing through the right-hander and picking a line through the left – it’s very fast. A small misstep can have quite punishing consequences.

Verstappen made a mistake at the final corner in 2021 but, actually, it is one of the more routine ones. And, since Max made a mistake, the eyeline into it has changed as well, while a lot of the entries were changed for 2023 to improve visibility into corners.

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For overtaking, there’s no problem with three DRS zones. The final corner, or duking it out into Turn 1, are drivers’ best bets. Drivers will also have to keep an eye out for slower cars throughout the weekend as it’s easy to trip up on traffic.

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 09: A general view of the grid preparations during the F1 Grand Prix — Jeddah provides an adrenaline-filled, high-speed challenge for the drivers

Saudi Arabian GP polesitters

2024 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2023 – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
2022 – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
2021 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

Saudi Arabian GP winners

2024 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2023 – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
2022 – Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2021 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 09: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull — Verstappen took pole position and the race victory at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Tyre and strategy insight

Pirelli have brought a tyre range that is one step softer than at last year’s event, with the C3 being the hard compound, the C4 the medium and the C5 the soft.

The tyre supplier’s weekend preview reads: “This is in line with the aim, shared with the FIA, F1 and the teams, to create more strategy choices for the race and therefore more exciting and unpredictable racing.

“In the four previous editions of this Grand Prix, the one-stop has always dominated, both in terms of its effectiveness and team preference, even when a Safety Car mixed things up a bit more.

“Only Bottas opted to pit twice [in 2024], all the others going for the one-stop, with the vast majority starting on the C3 (medium), switching to the C2 (hard) for the second stint.”

In terms of the characteristics of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Pirelli add: “The track surface is not very abrasive, with an average level of roughness, but the lateral forces exerted on the tyres are considerable, although not at the level to be found at Suzuka or Barcelona for example.

“Graining can put in an appearance, especially in the first free practice sessions as the track is very dirty to start with, because it is rarely used for motor racing.

“With several support categories also racing, track condition improves over the course of the weekend, so that this phenomenon diminishes. However, with a softer trio of compounds this year, it will be interesting to see what effect that has.”

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 09: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull — Graining could appear at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, particularly during the first practice sessions

Current form

It was advantage Oscar Piastri last time out in Bahrain, the Australian converting pole position into his second victory of the season – and in the process moving himself into second place of the Drivers’ Championship, closing the gap to Lando Norris down to just three points.

Norris admitted to having a “messy race” in Sakhir and will be keen to make up for that this weekend in Jeddah – which also sets up for a potential McLaren intra-team battle as the team continue to look like the ones to beat.

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Mercedes, meanwhile, still hold second place in the Teams’ Championship – though with a 58-point deficit to McLaren – and will be hoping to extend their run of form after another podium for George Russell in Bahrain, a performance that was hailed by Toto Wolff as an “unbelievable drive” amid various car issues.

Max Verstappen, on the other hand, faced a challenging outing in Sakhir en route to P6 – can Red Bull bounce back this time out? Ferrari will also be looking to make gains following mixed fortunes for the Scuderia in Bahrain, with team boss Fred Vasseur admitting that the squad need to “stay calm”.

Behind them, the midfield battle remains as close as ever. Alpine became the last squad to score points in 2025 with Pierre Gasly’s P7 in Sakhir, while Haas scored a slightly unexpected double points finish – meaning that the scrap amongst the pack could again be unpredictable this weekend.

Race Highlights: 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix

Iconic moment

F1’s first visit to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in 2021 came during the closing stages of a fierce championship fight between Verstappen and Hamilton, who again found themselves dicing for victory after several run-ins earlier in the season.

Having at one point run off the track to defend his race lead, Verstappen was told to back down and concede the position to Hamilton, only for the Mercedes to run into the back of the Red Bull when the Dutchman slowed – adding yet another layer to an already hugely dramatic title battle.

Hamilton brushed off some front wing damage, gathered himself and went on the attack once more to take the victory away from Verstappen, who was hit with a 10-second penalty after the race for the incident.

Watch the drama as it unfolded in the video below.