Jeddah is preparing to host the second round of this 2022 Formula 1 world championship. The first appointment in Bahrain gave us quite a few surprises and we can imagine a similar scenario in Saudi Arabia, considering the great innovations introduced this year and the particular nature of the track that debuted last year. Jeddah's placement as the penultimate race on the calendar last season made the fight between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton even more exciting and unpredictable. The Jeddah Grand Prix was one of the most controversial and repeated of 2021, with controversy over the decisions of the race direction, harshly criticized in its work.
It should be remembered that the track is a very fast street circuit that puts the single-seaters and the courage of the drivers to the test, forced to skim the barriers at speeds second only to Monza.
This year we could see a perhaps quieter race, considering that it is only the second round of the season, which is still long. Scouring points here will be important, but not as much as last year. Let's find out what predictions could come true on Jeddah night.
Safety Car in the race
Jeddah debuted in 2021. We can therefore only rely on what we saw last year in which the watchword more than "speed" was "chaos". The track is very narrow, the slightest mistake pays off here. This has led the organizers to partially modify the layout of some corners, widening the track by about 1 meters to allow greater safety and more visibility for the drivers. Last year in Jeddah, the Safety Car was called into question once, following the incident, which took place on lap 10, involving Mick Schumacher's Haas, which ended heavily on the barriers. At first the Safety Car was called, and then the race was suspended after a few laps.
The recommended forecast is YES, there will be the Safety Car in the race.
Virtual Safety Car in the race
Removing debris from the track is the trickiest thing, sometimes it can be easier, sometimes less. There was a lot of work to do last year. In particular, the Virtual Safety Car was exhibited 4 times.
La recommended prediction is YES, there will be the Virtual Safety Car in the race.
Red flag in the race
One of the most controversial episodes was precisely the one relating to the first red flag, displayed after a few laps of the Safety Car, when several drivers decided to stop in the pits thinking they could take advantage of it. The second red flag arrived like a domino immediately after the restart from the grid, in one of the narrowest and most dangerous points of the track. The chances of seeing a red flag in Jeddah are quite high. Furthermore, we have already seen the first "fights" in Bahrain between Verstappen and Leclerc, and although it was a fair comparison, in Jeddah too bold a move could be fatal.
The recommended prediction is YES, there will be a red flag in the race
Drivers unmark wet/full wet tires in the race
Even if the race takes place in a different period than last year, forecasts predict a dry race and medium-high temperatures. We remind you that here too we run at sunset. Furthermore, we cannot imagine a more dramatic and dangerous race than the one that would take place in the rain in Jeddah.
The recommended prediction is NO, the drivers will NOT unmark wet/full wet tires in the race
Team double in the race
We fell on this prediction last week. We would never have expected a brace from the red, let alone such a sensational outing from Red Bull! A one-two finish in Jeddah for any team is not impossible, even more so if both riders finish ahead in qualifying. However, the Ferrari one-two, with Sainz immediately behind Leclerc, came after the sensational outing of Verstappen and Perez, so we should expect a more varied podium in Jeddah. Red Bull is also called to account after the very heavy 0 recorded in Bahrain and if they had solved the reliability problems we could again see a fifty-fifty fight between Ferrari and Red Bull
The recommended prediction is NO, there won't be a brace in the race
Driver who starts on pole wins the race
Last year the driver who took pole won the race. Starting ahead on such a selective circuit where overtaking is not easy can be crucial. We therefore believe there is a good chance of seeing the pole-man on the top step of the podium, so this time we are taking on the opposite risk.
The recommended forecast is YES, the driver who starts from pole wins the race
Number of teams to bring both riders into the top 10
Last year, 3 teams finished in the points with both drivers. Last week in Bahrain instead we saw a little more variety, with 4 teams in the top 10 with the duo: Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine and Alfa Romeo. We believe there is a good variety this year and that the number of teams could be between 3 and 4. This obviously net of possible accidents that could leave one of the two drivers of the pair stranded, or why not, even both.
The recommended prediction is 4.
Number of cars forced to retire during the race
Testifying to the spectacularity and madness that reigned supreme in Jeddah last year is the number of retired riders: 5 of them did not finish the race in 2021.
Although changes have been made this year to reduce accidents and retirements, we believe that the number of retirements could still be high, but a little less than last year, also because the new cars are proving to be really resistant.
The recommended prediction is 3.
