Jeddah: Minor changes to the track for Ferrari drivers

For the second edition of the Jeddah Grand Prix, the organizers made some improvements to the track, which was sometimes too narrow. Thus, the walls of turns 2, 3, 14, and 21 were moved back by 1.50m. As for the last turn, number 27, the space was widened, going from 10.5m to 12m. Furthermore, smooth plates were installed at various locations to allow the drivers to drive alongside the walls without damaging the race cars.

If drivers like Sebastian Vettel and George Russell have complained about the lack of safety and visibility on the track, Ferrari drivers have also reacted to these new measures.

« I was discussing with Charles about the fact that they moved the wall, but the guiding line remains very close to the wall, explained Carlos Sainz Jr. « This means that our visibility is not getting better. For me, it just shows that we still need to tighten this relationship with the FIA, do better because we were expecting a step in the right direction, he continued.

According to me, it’s not much better. It’s possibly a very small, tiny, little improvement, said the Spanish person.

A common feeling at Ferrari.

His teammate at Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, shares this vision. For the recent winner of the Bahrain Grand Prix, these changes are not enough.

« It’s heading in the right direction, but I don’t think it’s enough, especially from what I saw in the last part, revealed Leclerc. « But in the first part, from turn 4 to turn 12, it didn’t change that much whereas it was probably the most critical part.

“I don’t know if it will be truly significant to the point of seeing a completely different situation,” he said. “From one year to another, it can be completely different. It depends on the number of accidents we have. But I don’t think the changes that have been made will bring a different scenario from last year,” Charles Leclerc lamented.