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Formula 1 returns with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023, set to take place from Friday March 17 to Sunday March 19. The third edition of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the 2023 edition is the second race on the calendar, after a dominating start by Red Bull Racing in Bahrain at the beginning of March. While Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen will hope to build on their initial success during the 2023 F1 season, close competitors Ferrari and Mercedes have been facing some setbacks that they hope to overcome at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit over the weekend.
Notably, Formula 2 also returns for its second round of the 2023 season this weekend, taking place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia alongside the Formula 1 race sessions. Indian racing driver Kush Maini, currently in his rookie season with Campos Racing, sits fourth in the standings after the inaugural race of the season in Bahrain. Meanwhile, the second driver from India Jehan Daruvala, competing for MP Motorsport, is currently 11th in the championship.
Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023: How to watch in India
With Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar no longer streaming live F1 in India, fans in the country can only watch live races and race sessions on the F1 TV app with the Pro subscription. The subscription provides access to all sessions and shows, as well as access to the feeder series, so you’ll be able to watch both F1 and F2 this weekend with the app and subscription.
Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023: Timings in India
Practice 1: Friday March 17, 7pm (IST)
Practice 2: Friday March 17, 10:30pm (IST)
Practice 3: Saturday March 18, 7pm (IST)
Qualifying: Saturday March 18, 10:30pm (IST)
Race: Sunday March 19, 10:30pm (IST)
Formula 2 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023: Timings in India
Practice: Friday March 17, 4:25pm (IST)
Qualifying: Friday March 17, 8:30pm (IST)
Sprint Race: Saturday March 18, 8:40pm (IST)
Feature Race: Sunday March 19, 7:05pm (IST)
F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023: What to expect
Max Verstappen goes into the second round of the season leading the drivers’ standings, with Sergio Perez in second, following a dominant Red Bull Racing 1-2 at Bahrain in early March. Fernando Alonso, who came third in Bahrain, will hope to take advantage of his surprisingly competitive Aston Martin F1 car to try and secure his first race win since 2013. The veteran Spanish driver and two-time world champion is competing in his 20th full F1 season this year, at the age of 41.
Ferrari had a troubled start to the 2023 season, with Charles Leclerc retiring the car due to a mechanical failure, and Carlos Sainz Jr. losing out on third place after being overtaken by Alonso. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could only secure 5th place and 7th place respectively, as Mercedes struggles to find competitiveness in the car going into 2023. The tight street circuit of Jeddah could suit certain teams better, as they hope to narrow the gap to Red Bull Racing.
Interestingly, Red Bull India hosted the Showrun in Mumbai on March 12, with former F1 driver and 13-time race winner David Coulthard driving the Red Bull RB7 car along the Bandra Bandstand promenade in front of thousands of fans. The RB7 is the same car that won the drivers’ and constructors’ championship in 2011, and Red Bull India had earlier also provided an assembly showcase of the car where the RB7 was assembled and fired up for the viewers present.
