Promoters of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix have provided more details over the planned changes to the Jeddah Formula 1 circuit ahead of next month’s race.
Saudi Arabia hosted its first F1 race last December at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, with its high-speed layout leading to an action-packed event.
While the street track provided an entertaining first race, it drew criticism from several drivers who raised concerns over the safety of the circuit.
The number of blind spots in high-speed corners were a particular concern, with the 50-lap race interrupted by two red flags and a number of safety cars.
Saudi Arabia is due to host its second round of the 2022 season on March 27, marking its second race in four months.
The race’s CEO Martin Whitaker revealed last month that plans were in place to make tweaks to Jeddah’s layout in a bid to improve driver visibility, and with one month to go until the event, a further update has now been issued detailing which corners will undergo modifications.
“It has already been confirmed that some minor tweaks will be made to the circuit to help improve driver sight lines from the cockpit by improving visibility in several of the circuit’s corners including Turns 2, 3, 14 and 21 where the barriers will be moved back between 1.5m and 2m,” a statement from the race promoter Saudi Motorsport Company reads.
“Likewise, the barrier on the right-hand side of Turn 27 will be moved back by around 1.5m to widen the track at this point. In all cases except Turn 27, the track limit/edge will remain the same.
“In addition, further modifications will also be made to Turns 4, 16, 22 and 24 after consultation with the drivers who requested a smoother barrier on the apex so that they can potentially brush it as they pass.
“To accommodate this, SMC is installing a steel plate which will effectively wrap around the concrete barriers given them the smooth surface they require to favour the lines the drivers take around the record-breaking course.”
Jeddah’s blind apexes saw several near misses throughout the practice and qualifying sessions, with drivers on a mix of slow and fast laps.
This ultimately played a part in the second red flag stoppage, when Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc’s collision blocked most of the circuit, leading to an unsighted Nikita Mazepin to run into the back of George Russell’s Williams.
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