In a weekend of firsts, Formula 1 arrive in Saudi Arabia for the penultimate round of what has been a tense yet exciting 2021 season. A round in which a Champion could be crowned, with Max Verstappen leading Lewis Hamilton by just eight points. And what better time for this situation to come around then when they race at a brand new street track, for a night race which just so happens to be the fastest ever street race.
It is the first opportunity one of the title antagonists have to actually clinch the title, with it also being the first chance for Verstappen to achieve his first Formula 1 World Championship – his first title in single seaters actually.
Jeddah is an unknown for Formula 1. What probably makes it more intriguing is the fact that they are coming off another round that was an unknown for them too. The 27 turns of the new high speed circuit will pose a different challenge with each turn of the wheel, but there will be one constant – speed itself. It will be rapid, and requires the highest level if concentration and commitment available. Thankfully, that is something that Formula 1 drivers have in abundance. Most anyway.
To sum up what results are necessary for Verstappen to be crowned, the Dutchman needs to be inside the top two whilst Hamilton needs to finish toward the latter end of the points paying position or out of the points entirely – something that has very rarely happened.
However, there is the chance that it will not be that simple for Verstappen and Red Bull. Engine penalties have been a very popular talking point this season, and it is not expected that they will be serving one in Saudi Arabia. If it is needed, it will be in Abu Dhabi according to Helmut Marko. The season finale round, what is stopping both rivals taking another grid penalty at the finale and run their engines to the maximum?
That’ll be entertaining although they’d be at the front within ten laps. But, imagine the drama that will be involved.
The recent power boost has definitely caught Red Bull by surprise. Before, they believed going to the end of the season with the power unit since Russia was the best option, now the boost for Hamilton and Mercedes have put Red Bull and Verstappen in an uncomfortable position.
So, who is the pressure on more heading into the final two race weekends, Verstappen or Hamilton?
The simple answer is both, but in different ways.
Verstappen has never been in this position before in his career, so he is coming into the weekend on a different platform. He will know that he can leave the weekend as the 34th Formula 1 Champion. Yes, it is a slim chance but that means that there is still a chance – insert ‘chance meme’. The unexpected can easily happen in Formula 1, just ask Nigel Mansell about 1986 and he will tell you everything about it. Nothing is guaranteed.
That does not mean Verstappen can let his guard down. This slim chance means that the final round of the season will most likely be the show down. A slip up from the Dutchman this weekend and suddenly he is the chaser heading into Abu Dhabi. Hamilton has a very different kind of pressure, and it arguably is the worse kind compared to what Verstappen will experience.
It has been a while since Hamilton has travelled to a Grand Prix with the knowledge that he can officially lose his title as the World Champion. The final round at Abu Dhabi in 2016 would have been the last time this situation has occurred, when Nico Rosberg clinched the title away from him. That is a very different kind of pressure. Both drivers, obviously, cannot afford a mistake. But, an error from Hamilton in Jeddah will prove more costly, especially if Verstappen avoids one.
The good news for both is… they know what they are doing.
Although they are both beyond reality when it comes to mental strength in a Formula 1 car or racing in general, they cannot blank out the talk. They will hear what could be the outcomes from different stipulations, and will be asked about it plenty of times on Thursday – to which their answers will remain calm, composed and expected. Such is the fun in people asking the drivers the same questions.
But, and the biggest but, it is a new street circuit. A fast one, with the walls calling every name of the driver who is going past at all times. It seems to be intimidating and daunting. They will be driving in their own shadows throughout the weekend. The exciting thing is mind you, who knows which car will perform better. There is not really a track on the calendar that can suit the characteristics of Jeddah. There will be a collection of circuits that you can try and fit, but that will not prove to be effective.
The Motorsport Formula 