Official 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

It’s estimated that Saudi Arabia executed at least 172 people in 2023. Since the Crown Prince and his father, King Salman, assumed power in 2015, Saudi Arabia has executed at least 1,257 people, at an average of 140 people per year and the rate of executions has almost doubled. Some issues are more important than how far Max will win by or Christian Horner's approach to workplace recognition, including why is F1 supporting this barbaric regime.

Apologies, back to the race. Saudi may offer some hope of a better race after Bahrain. The surface is much less abrasive, which might mean that the RB20’s tyre management is less crucial. Also, expect Ferrari and Mercedes to get on top of their respective cooling and brake woes. Was a Red Bull 1-2 last year though.

Remember it’s another Saturday race.

Date(s): Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 March 2024.

UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Channel 4 is showing highlights of Qualifying and the Race.





2023 Highlights:

https://youtu.be/BxGpi0racMc?si=Ym7XwkK8aMobDG

Tyres: (medium compounds)



2023 Result:

Edited by Piginapoke on Sunday 3rd March 10:13

[Vanden Saab]

Can we take Verstappen out of the vote again.

[2fast748]

Vanden Saab said:

Can we take Verstappen out of the vote again.

Surely the vote is for who's going to finish 2nd?

[Piginapoke]

2fast748 said:

Vanden Saab said:

Can we take Verstappen out of the vote again.

Surely the vote is for who's going to finish 2nd?

We’ll give it another race or two before we start that- you never know…..

[axel1990chp]

My birthday weekend, big 34, so I will be missing this one, I’ll catch the highlights Sunday evening but I would imagine it’s business as usual for Maximilian. Guess the ‘fight’ is between Fez, Macca and Merc for the best of the rest.

Can’t imagine a grid full of race finishers this time around, surely to be an SC or 2!

Wonder if this CH business will be resolved come next race weekend?!

Props on sticking it to Saudi in the post PIAP, for a business that changes its flag to a rainbow during gay pride, it sure is hypocritical with where it sends the circus, ain’t it!

Money talks!

[sandman77]

I’m going to use the poll results to put a bet on for the podium positions, so please all - get it right.

[nikaiyo2]

2fast748 said:

Surely the vote is for who's going to finish 2nd?

Don’t you mean 3rd? The red bull is massively faster than the rest.

[Sandpit Steve]

I’ve always had a bad feeling about this track, think there’s going to be an horrific accident here at some point with the high speeds and lack of sight lines.

Not sure I’ll be betting on anyone except MV as the winner, even with the epic civil war going on in the background at Red Bull. Let’s hope for a good fight over the minor places though, and a clean, safe race.

[mk1coopers]

Thanks for the thread PiaP, such a shame that in 3 short years F1 has lost so much of its appeal for me, these days this thread is generally more interesting than the race !

[ajprice]

The hole Alpine are in has got deeper, their technical director and their head of aero have resigned. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/alpine-facing-fr...

[MustangGT]

axel1990chp said:

My birthday weekend, big 34, so I will be missing this one, I’ll catch the highlights Sunday evening

Don't forget to record it, the C4 coverage is Saturday, the same day as the race.

[BrettMRC]

Expecting another MV win.

Expecting at least one safety car too, (quite surprised there wasn't one at Bahrain, but then again it has the polar opposite in terms of runoff vs Saudi) and I think we'll see 3 or 4 DNFs this time out.

Sainz & Leclerc to have a minor coming together - not race ending, but it will put one of them out of the points.

[Blib]

Sandpit Steve said:

I’ve always had a bad feeling about this track, think there’s going to be an horrific accident here at some point with the high speeds and lack of sight lines.

Not sure I’ll be betting on anyone except MV as the winner, even with the epic civil war going on in the background at Red Bull. Let’s hope for a good fight over the minor places though, and a clean, safe race.

This.

For that reason I won't be watching this race live.

[Byker28i]

Lets not forget PIAP that you also cannot offer any criticism of the Crown Prince... lest one has a visit...

Hard to see past a 1-2 for RB, the question is will Ferrari again show they are best of the rest with a fight between Merc, McLaren, Aston Martin for who's next in the pecking order

[TikTak]

Really wanted to say the McLarens would run well here but in all honesty think they've lost over the Ferraris and Mercs over the winter based on the single race we've had so far.

Wanting a rogue result I'm going for Carlos. Drove well in Bahrain and with the bit between his teeth he edges Max after a rare Red Bull pitstop/strat mishap.

Or Max is in another league again. Whatever.

Also I hate this place, equally for the track and the politics. Shame we have to have races in places like this when there is such a large selection pool of tracks around the world.

Edited by TikTak on Monday 4th March 09:59

[kambites]

Assuming Mercedes get their cooling right for this weekend, it will be interesting to see where they are relatively to Ferrari.

[Still Mulling]

Thanks, PiaP. I will remain hopeful until race 5, I've decided. After that Verstappen can be removed

[Chamon_Lee]

TikTak said:

Really wanted to say the McLarens would run well here but in all honesty think they've lost over the Ferraris and Mercs over the winter based on the single race we've had so far.

Wanting a rogue result I'm going for Carlos. Drove well in Bahrain and with the bit between his teeth he edges Max after a rare Red Bull pitstop/strat mishap.

Or Max is in another league again. Whatever.

Also I hate this place, equally for the track and the politics. Shame we have to have races in places like this when there is such a large selection pool of tracks around the world.

Edited by TikTak on Monday 4th March 09:59

I wish we would give the political snubs a rest. You have USA who constantly bombs countries and have politicians richer than rich, you have the UK who fund every single war known to mankind and treat their own citizens like cash cows for their own benefit and deterioration of the country and your worried about lesser things from these countries. I dont see anyone in uproar when it comes to other countries, why the news fed bias when it comes to others? I am not saying they are perfect countries but bloody hell a good look in the mirror would help keep things in perspective.

[Tim the pool man]

axel1990chp said:

...

Props on sticking it to Saudi in the post PIAP, for a business that changes its flag to a rainbow during gay pride, it sure is hypocritical with where it sends the circus, ain’t it!

Money talks!

The fact that there are now 3 races in a country which is only 4% of the world, and have a massively over inflated sense of importance confirms that it's all about money and damn the hypocrisy in ANY of the countries they visit!

[MartG]