Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023 — Weekend Preview

Round 2 of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship takes the field to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Grand Prix — The Fastest Street Circuit. Max Verstappen leads the championship with 25 points, 7 points ahead of Sergio Perez.

Driver Championship (entering R2):
P1: Max Verstappen — 25 pts (1W, 1P)
P2: Sergio Perez — 18 pts (0W, 1P)
P3: Fernando Alonso — 15 pts (0W, 1P)
P4: Carlos Sainz — 12 pts (0W, 0P)
P5: Lewis Hamilton — 10 pts (0W, 0P)

Constructor Championship:
P1: Red Bull Racing — 43 pts
P2: Aston Martin — 23 pts
P3: Mercedes — 16 pts
P4: Ferrari — 12 pts
P5: Alfa Romeo — 4 pts

Jeddah is a balanced challenge.

Recent winners at Jeddah:
- 2025: Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- 2024: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- 2023: Sergio Perez (Red Bull Racing)
- 2022: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)

Tyre strategy data will be available after practice sessions provide degradation information.

Battles to watch:

Championship battle: Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez — 7 points separate them.

P3 vs P4: Fernando Alonso (15) vs Carlos Sainz (12) — just 3 points apart.
P4 vs P5: Carlos Sainz (12) vs Lewis Hamilton (10) — just 2 points apart.
P5 vs P6: Lewis Hamilton (10) vs Lance Stroll (8) — just 2 points apart.