Papaya & Poles, Red Bull & Rebellion – It’s All To Drive For
The battle at McLaren is well underway, tensions rising at Red Bull after a chaotic start to the season, and Ferrari might finally be finding their feet – it’s all to drive for. As the F1 circus rolls into the streets of Jeddah, speed meets spectacle under the Saudi Arabian night sky. With the fastest street circuit on the calendar ready to punish even the slightest mistake, expect bold overtakes, late-braking drama, and maybe a little heartbreak. Who will rise in the chaos, and who will get left in the desert dust?
Recap of the 2024 Race
Can you believe it has been a year since Stroll took a detour into the wall at turn 22? Last year saw Verstappen take his 9th consecutive podium of the season, with his teammate Pérez securing 2nd (shocking, I know) and Leclerc finishing 3rd.
We also had our first sighting of a 18-year-old Ollie Bearman in an F1 car after Sainz was undergoing an emergency appendectomy. In classic Bearman fashion, he finished 7th in his debut race, 2 places above 7-time world champion Hamilton. Ciao, Bearman, Ciao!
With the McLaren rivalry intensifying, it’s worth noting that Oscar Piastri secured an impressive P4 at Jeddah last year, while Lando Norris could only manage P8. Now, I’m not saying that’s a knock to Norris’ already slightly shaky confidence… but let’s just say the pressure is quietly mounting.
The Jeddah Track? Oh she’s curvy, complicated, and cutthroat.
- Third longest track of the season meaning only 50 laps
- 27 corners – only 7 of these corners are braking zones!
- 2nd fastest track of the season – average speeds hitting 250 kph
- Historically a one-stop race
- Pirelli has opted for softer tyres this year with the available compounds being:
- C3 – Hard
- C4 – Medium
- C5 – Soft
- 3 DRS zones
- A street circuit – run off zones are small and margin for error even smaller
- A safety car is as likely as Fred Vasseur saying ‘the pace was good’ after they fumbled the strategy
- FP2 will be the only representative session of the night race on Sunday, meaning this will be optimum time for both drivers and engineers to get a feel for their cars and new tyre selection
She’s Fast, She’s Fierce, She’s Full of Feuds
With 4 contenders for the championship, we have a lot to keep our eye on this race.
The tension at McLaren might just be hotter than the cockpit temperatures. On one side of the garage, we have fan-favourite Lando Norris, nervously clinging to the top spot in the championship standings — despite finishing on the podium at every race so far this season. But cracks are starting to show. After last week’s race, Norris openly questioned his own form, admitting, “I don’t know how I’m leading the championship.”
Meanwhile, across the garage, Oscar Piastri is thriving. Cool, calm, and composed, the young Australian already has two race wins to his name this season and is quietly building a case for his own title charge. With his confidence growing and the gap closing, it’s starting to feel like his year.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has acknowledged the rising rivalry, choosing to highlight the harmony rather than the heat: “They’re great team-mates, they’re great team players… they race each other cleanly.” A diplomatic stance — perhaps deliberately so — following last season’s backlash over the so-called “Papaya Rules.”
As mentioned in my previous post, George Russell has kicked off the season in style — currently sitting fourth in the championship and just six points behind Max Verstappen. If Russell delivers another strong performance this weekend, the pressure on Red Bull could seriously ramp up.
Verstappen has been wrestling that Red Bull — which has looked more like a tractor at times — into pole positions through sheer talent. But the cracks are showing, and let’s be honest: Mad Max is starting to look… well, mad.
Rumours continue to swirl around his contract, which reportedly includes a performance-related exit clause. If he drops out of the top three, Verstappen could very well start eyeing a move elsewhere. One of the most talked-about destinations? Mercedes.
Team principal Toto Wolff has already fanned the flames, saying, “An alternative scenario is of course Verstappen, but at the moment that doesn’t seem realistic to me.” But in Formula 1, where political mind games are practically a race category of their own, statements like that can mean anything.
Jeddah’s high-speed street circuit is fast, fierce, and unforgiving—perfect for chaos. With McLaren tensions, Red Bull cracks, and Ferrari on the rise, expect drama under the lights.
Lights out at 6PM UK time this Sunday—don’t miss it.