F1 Picks: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Prediction, Preview, and Odds (Mar 9)

• Second race of the 2024 F1 season takes place this weekend in Jeddah
• The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be the second straight race to take place on a Saturday this season

For the second straight weekend, there will be exciting F1 action being staged. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, and it has quickly become one of the most exciting races on the Formula 1 schedule. But, will Max Verstappen claim a second straight race win to start the new season?

How To Watch

• When: Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 2:30 PM ET
• Where: Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia
• How To Watch: ESPN

Odds

Event Preview

There will be a second straight weekend of Formula 1 action on Saturday, as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will take place on the streets of Jeddah. This race was first introduced to the calendar in 2021, and it is one of five night races that are staged throughout the season. The field will complete a total of 308.450 km, which is made up of 50 laps of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. 

This weekend’s race will be the fourth edition of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and there is yet to be a multiple-time winner of the race. Sergio Perez landed victory in a dramatic finish last season, with Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen coming home in second. It could be hard to overlook the Red Bull dominance when assessing the most likely winner this weekend.

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Verstappen kicked off the season with a dominant success in Bahrain, finishing over 20 seconds clear of Perez. However, off-track issues continue to focus on the situation at Red Bull, with the latest rumors speculating that the reigning world champion could be interested in a sensational move to Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton. But, the issues away from the track didn’t hinder their chances last weekend.

It was a damning first weekend of the season for the chasing pack, with Ferrari and Mercedes both encountering in-race issues due to overheating. Those same worries could be evident in similar conditions this weekend. McLaren were happy enough with their first race of the season, with Lando Norris recovering to come home sixth in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Prediction

Verstappen’s dominant record on track looks set to continue this weekend. However, we could see Norris finishing on the podium alongside Carlos Sainz. 

Free Pick:

• Max Verstappen