It’s not just the security around the paddock in Jeddah that is the talk of the weekend in Saudi Arabia.
For the second year in a row, Formula 1 drivers expressed mixed feelings about Jeddah’s Corniche circuit after an incident-prone qualifying session.
Nicholas Latifi lost control of the rear of his Williams at Turn 13 and crashed into the barriers just seven minutes into qualifying, prompting the first of two red flag periods.
In Q2, Mick Schumacher crashed into the barriers at the exit of Turn 10 and had to be taken to hospital after the accident, while his Haas broke in two – as required by the regulations – when it was recovered. by the crane.
Schumacher’s VF-22 will not take part in the race this Sunday, regardless of the condition of the German due to the damage suffered and the long repair work ahead.
The poleman, Sergio Perez, who called Jeddah a “dangerous circuit for no reason” at the first Grand Prix here last December – was asked if he felt further safety improvements were needed.
“I think it’s definitely the most dangerous circuit on the calendar, it’s no secret,” said the Red Bull driver after qualifying.
“A successful fast lap here is huge in terms of feeling. It really asks a lot from the drivers, from the cars, from the teams. If you get it wrong it can be a huge accident. I don’t know if there is something we can do in turn 22/23 because it’s a really high speed section it’s more dangerous in the race but after qualifying the last thing I want to think about is the track . It’s nerve-wracking.”
His Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen criticized the design of the track, its twisty straights in particular.
“Last year, for me, I was pretty happy with how we got through the weekend in terms of crashes because in some places, like with Mick going all the way into the wall, it’s is extremely dangerous. Also, the straights aren’t entirely straight because they’re all a bit blind. I don’t understand why you need to design a circuit like that if it’s going to be flat out anyway. You have to designing easier. It’s just safer for everyone.”
The Ferrari duo, whom Perez beat to pole position, were torn between enjoying the challenge of the track and wanting it to be safer.
“I’m between two feelings. In a way, I like the adrenaline rush that a qualifying lap gives you here,” comments Carlos Sainz.
“But also here, if you crash, it also hurts a bit more than elsewhere because the walls are closer and the speed is higher. As riders, we are very confident, because we know that the safety of the cockpit is very high and when you see incidents like Mick’s it gives us some peace of mind that at these speeds the car is protected because the FIA has done a great job giving us very safe cockpits.”
“But at the same time, is it really worth having this huge crash when you could maybe push the walls a bit further? It would give us a bit more room to slow the car down if we lose. It’s a discussion we need to have because it’s probably a bit borderline.”
Leclerc adds that the challenge offered by this circuit was “one of the reasons I love this track”but admits that security improvements could be made.
“I can’t hide the excitement I feel behind the wheel at this track, especially on a fast lap, it’s amazing. But safety comes first and maybe we can do something better. That’s probably needed before a more serious accident happens.”