Everything to know about world's fastest F1 street circuit
The inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be held in the city of Jeddah on December 5. The city's racetrack, dubbed as Corniche Circuit, is touted to be the fastest street circuit in the world with long straights, banked areas, and lengthy winding corners. Now, ahead of the big Formula 1 race, let us have a look at some interesting facts about the track.
Why does it matter?
The Corniche racing track in Jeddah marks Saudi Arabia's entry into the world of F1 racing. Its design, safety options, and the introduction of 5G technology make it a track to look out for. Construction of the circuit is underway at a steady pace by a team comprising 1,250 people and around 37,000 tons of total asphalt will be laid.
It is the world's second-longest track
The Corniche Circuit, with a length of 6.175km, is the world's second-longest track for this year. As per simulations, it will take around one minute and 27.9 seconds to finish a lap during qualification and around one minute and 33.8 seconds in the main 50-lap race. Here, the cars are expected to hit a top-speed of 322km/h and clock an average speed of 252.8km/h.
The track has 27 turns
The 27-turn track is dotted with sweeping corners, of which 16 are left-handers and the rest are right. It should be a high-stress circuit with drivers expected to experience a high G-load (around 4.9 lateral G). For safety within the premises, around 13km of catch-fencing to prevent the debris from scattering, 3,000 TecPro barriers, and 3,300 pieces of the concrete wall will be available.
It is world's first 5G-enabled circuit
It is the world's first circuit with 5G connectivity for the convenience of fans. "They can use their devices and experience the race on our circuit even more intensely," according to Martin Whitaker, director of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. F1's Motorsport team has joined hands with Tilke to design the track. Drivers will have to prove their mettle instead of relying on DRS-assisted overtakes.
The first race will take place at night
The circuit has been built on the shores of the Red Sea and is 12km from the city's center. The inaugural race will be held at night with floodlights illuminating the track. More than 20km of electric cables have been laid down for this purpose.
The race's promotion has led to a Guinness World Record
To promote this year's inaugural Grand Prix in Jeddah, Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation has built the world's largest Formula 1 car out of Lego bricks and set a new Guinness World Record. The special car is made up of 5,04,242 Lego bricks and is green in color. It is 5.710m long and 2.048m high.
