After a thrilling opening to the 2022 season, Formula 1 returns to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Can Ferrari repeat their 1-2 finish?
The start of the new era in Formula 1 did not disappoint. A new team dominated the opening weekend, Ferrari. There were surprise issues – Red Bull engines and McLaren, mostly everything. We also had a reshuffled order thanks to the new designs. Haas returned to the points and both Alfa Romeos landed in the top ten. Now F1 heads to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The track has undergone some adjustments since last year so expect the unexpected once again.
Last season was the debut of the new Jeddah circuit. It was clear from the first practices that the track was fast and left no margin for error. Fast corners and tight walls led to several incidents. Qualifying was electric as Max Verstappen nearly put in a pole-winning lap before contacting the wall on the last corner. Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen battled throughout the fast circuit, with an infamous collision when Max was instructed to give back the lead for overtaking outside track limits. Ultimately, Hamilton took the win ahead of Verstappen. Valtteri Bottas grabbed third from Esteban Ocon in the final seconds.
The United States (all times in EST)
- Free Practice 1 (FP1): Friday 3/25 – 9:55 am on ESPN 2 & ESPN Deportes
- FP2: Friday 3/25 – 12:55 pm on ESPN 2 & ESPN Deportes
- FP3: Saturday 3/26 – 9:55 am on ESPN 2 & ESPN Deportes
- Qualifying: Saturday 3/26 – 12:55 pm on ESPN 2 & ESPN Deportes
- Grand Prix: Sunday 3/27 – 11:30 am on ESPN & ESPN Deportes [Note: That is the start of the pre-race broadcast. Lights out will be at 12:55 pm.]
Switching our focus to this weekend ➡️🇸🇦
We’re back in Jeddah already for the second edition of the #SaudiArabianGP #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/aHxT6vzHOV
— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) March 23, 2022
Last Time Out: Ferrari Dominate as Red Bull Blunder – Lewis Hamilton Secures Podium
The UK (all times in GMT)
- Free Practice 1 (FP1): Friday 3/25 – 1:30 pm on Sky Sports F1.
- FP2: Friday 3/25 – 4:45 pm on Sky Sports F1.
- FP3: Saturday 3/26 –1:45 pm on Sky Sports F1.
- Qualifying: Saturday 3/26 – 4:00 pm on Sky Sports F1.
- Grand Prix: Sunday 3/27 – 4:30 pm on Sky Sports F1. [Note: That is the start of the pre-race broadcast. Lights out will be at 5:55 pm.]
An incredible day for us and all of you, Tifosi ⭐️
Thanks for always being by our side ❤️. On to the next one!#essereFerrari 🔴 #BahrainGP #Charles16 #Carlos55 pic.twitter.com/WUiCx5L2s0
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 20, 2022
Heading into the second round there are still a ton of questions. Will the Red Bull engines have issues once again? Can the Ferrari be as dominant at a different track? How much can Mercedes improve within a week? Is Haas capable of challenging for points each week? Alfa Romeo? How long until McLaren figures out their issues? With a short turnaround and fast track with little margin for error, expect both sets of standings to have a lot of movement. It’s off to round two at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
