Grand Prix 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

i had a bit of time so i thought i would give it ago.

the 1st ever Saudi Arabian GP, it feels weird to be this far into the year & we still arent into the finale. into context lewis debut season in 2007, the penultimate race was on 6th october. but we are on the final leg for what has been 1 of most enjoyable seasons for many a year (to be fair its a low bar) & arguably the best rivalry since Hakkinen/Schumacher 23 years ago. some cracking racing between the 2 title contenders. alot of controversy along the way. the momentum like a rollercoaster as at times Hamilton & Verstappen have looked like they were heavy favourites only for it to swing the other way by the next race or in space of 24 hours. really looking forward to see which way it swings again.

Saudi Arabia like the middle east is trying to move away from their reliance on oil to generate income & are using sport to rebrand themselves or as some critics call it sportwashing but for legal reasons i may leave that alone. LOL but they have spent big hosting Joshua V Ruiz heavyweight rematch, Formula E, Dakar Rally, Spanish + Italian Super cups, Fifa World Club Cup, the worlds richest horse race, Golf, Asian games in the future & the F1. then surrounding areas hosting the 20/20 cricket world cup , potential bids for both the world cup & Olympics

it will be the 1st time that F1 has raced at back to back new venues outside of Europe as prior 2 times 1959 Germany/Portugal & 1970 Germany/Austria. its a miracle that their is a race on at all because it has been a race against time to say the least. 5 weeks ago it looked more like the pictures of 1 year to go not 1 month go

1st November 2021

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1st December 2021
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the circuit looks like a real challenge, its high speed, imagine baku without the twisty middle sector. it could be carnage because you make a mistake your hitting the wall at 150mph. i would expect safety car or 2 & that unpredictability not good for Lewis Hamilton at the moment because is imperative that he finishes ahead of max verstappen otherwise the title would get very tough


Finally the 1st GP since Frank Williams passing what a man what a motorsport icon. who will be missed & hopefully they will have a moments silence for him. before the race
 
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1999
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2009 (AKA The Lovely Year)
2010
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Seasons in the last 23 years where title undecided with 2 races to go, like this season, I think.
2010 i would say is the last proper title between more than with 2 teams & both equal performance. 2014 & 16 was Mercedes. 2012 it was vettel leagues ahead towards the end & Alonso hanging on.

but 9 years between last day finale providing it happens. between 2 teams is quite shameful indictment for the competition in F1. espically as many of the years since 2012. we known the winner by September
 
2010 i would say is the last proper title between more than with 2 teams & both equal performance. 2014 & 16 was Mercedes. 2012 it was vettel leagues ahead towards the end & Alonso hanging on.

but 9 years between last day finale providing it happens. between 2 teams is quite shameful indictment for the competition in F1. espically as many of the years since 2012. we known the winner by September
Well, you did state “arguably”.
 
The weather will be good. I have a love / hate relationship with Saudi, after the navy, my husband spent time in Saudi with BAE, teaching Saudi‘s to fly, all very controversial I know. But I was out there with him, on a secure BAE compound, swimming pool. The works.
It’s a beautiful country. Then there is the alien society. Men in the cafe, air conditioned of course, all in white . Their women sitting on the pavement outside in the sun dressed in black. There were amazing shopping malls, for the wealthier Saudi, used by both men and women, separated of course, Gold souks, spice souks. Truly amazing.
There were woman’s groups to which we western women were invited, and once the doors were locked and the women removed their black garments they revealed a nation of very striking women. They did want change, but they didn’t want interference from the West. They wanted the change to reflect who they were, not who the West thought they should be.
It was an eye opening experience.
 
The weather will be good. I have a love / hate relationship with Saudi, after the navy, my husband spent time in Saudi with BAE, teaching Saudi‘s to fly, all very controversial I know. But I was out there with him, on a secure BAE compound, swimming pool. The works.
It’s a beautiful country. Then there is the alien society. Men in the cafe, air conditioned of course, all in white . Their women sitting on the pavement outside in the sun dressed in black. There were amazing shopping malls, for the wealthier Saudi, used by both men and women, separated of course, Gold souks, spice souks. Truly amazing.
There were woman’s groups to which we western women were invited, and once the doors were locked and the women removed their black garments they revealed a nation of very striking women. They did want change, but they didn’t want interference from the West. They wanted the change to reflect who they were, not who the West thought they should be.
It was an eye opening experience.
saudi arabia is fascinating, i can see change. espically in the driving & race of champions was big for it, with women allowed in the stadium for the 1st time

fasinating reading about there bid for the olympics in that it would be joint bid with bahrain, where only the men would compete in saudi because the law forbids women to compete, so IOC threw it out, effectively said come back when you can host an olympics for men & women
 
Verstappen said that whether he wins or loses, Red Bull will have had a good season to reduce the large performance advantage Mercedes had last year.

Conveniently disregarding the fact that the FIA effectively vandalised the Mercedes right from the outset of the season.
 
Turn 1 is a disaster waiting to happen with 20 cars charging down

The long straights to the start and finish straight is plenty of passing chance but the first section is all slow corners ideal for Red Bull
 
50 minutes late the 1st practise session has gone ahead

although for me if i was in qualifying i would treat this like a qualifying session, when they expecting rain, because you need a banker because you dont want to be caught out
 
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