Live
F1 LIVE | Follow qualifying for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix here!
Qualifying for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is about to take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Max Verstappen secured pole position in Bahrain last week, but the gap wasn't as big as expected. The same can be said after practice in Saudi Arabia with Fernando Alonso sitting towards the top of the timesheets. Ferrari and Mercedes will also have something to say in qualifying. Follow all of the action in the live blog.
F1 LIVE | Qualifying: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Who is the favourite for pole position?
It's impossible to rule out Verstappen. The Red Bull driver has won 18 of the last 19 Grands Prix, but the Dutchman hasn't always been on pole. Ferrari have demonstrated good pace over a single lap and are seemingly always in the mix for that P1 spot on the grid. This weekend, Alonso seems hungry and keen to secure his first pole position since 2012. George Russell and Charles Leclerc have also been near the top of the timesheets all weekend. The man from Monaco shared the front row with Verstappen last week.
Carlos Sainz will miss the session as he requires surgery. He will be replaced by Oliver Bearman at Ferrari. You can't rule out Verstappen's Red Bull teammate, either. Sergio Perez has always performed well in Jeddah. In fact, the Mexican has started on pole position at the last two Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.
What do we expect in qualifying?
Chaos. This track is troublesome when getting out of the way. Drivers on a slow lap must rely on their engineers to tell them when to pull off the racing line to allow a faster car to come through. We already saw trouble during FP2 when Lewis Hamilton was going slowly on the racing line. Logan Sargeant came up behind on a fast lap and did well to avoid an accident. Mercedes were fined for the incident.
Why is qualifying on Friday?
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend has been moved forward a day to avoid a clash with Ramadan. Two practice sessions occurred on Thursday, with the third and final practice hour on Friday. Qualifying takes place on Friday evening, with the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday. This is the last time a Grand Prix will take place on a Saturday (local time) until the Las Vegas Grand Prix towards the end of the season.