Highlights: 2021 Saudi Arabian GP in Formula 1

We thank you for your attention during the broadcast of the first ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. To stay up to date with Formula 1, stay tuned to VAVEL.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the last race of 2021, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are tied on points for the Drivers' Championship with 369.5 points.

IT'S ALL TO BE DECIDED IN ABU DHABI!

The world champion is the first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix winner in history and will fight for the championship in the final race in Abu Dhabi.

With Lewis Hamilton in the lead, we come to the final lap of the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

1. HAMILTON

2. VERSTAPPEN +8:504

3. OCON +23.288

Sebastian Vettel retires from the race. He suffered multiple touches throughout his race with the Aston Martin.

Race control imposes a +5 second penalty on Max Verstappen for running off the track in a dangerous action while overtaking Lewis Hamilton on lap 37.

MAX VERSTAPPEN LETS HAMILTON PASS TO AVOID A PENALTY FOR THE PAST ACTION. 

BUT OVERTAKES THE BRITON AGAIN

HAMILTON ATTACKS VERSTAPPEN AGAIN, THE RED BULL BRAKES AND BOTH CARS COLLIDE.

THERE WILL BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACTION

HABRÁ INVESTIGACIÓN POR LA ACCIÓN

HAMILTON ATACÓ A VERSTAPPEN EN LA RECTA PRINCIPAL CON EL DRS, VERSTAPPEN SE VA POR AFUERA EN LA CURVA UNO Y MANTIENE LA POSICIÓN.

¡HABRÁ POLÉMICA!

1. MAX VERSTAPPEN

2. LEWIS HAMILTON +1.487

3. ESTEBAN OCON +18.938

The track is green flagged and everything is back to normal.

There are strange elements on the track that generate discomfort in some drivers.

Virtual safety car

Yuki Tsunoda receives a +5 second penalty for the incident he had with Sebastian Vettel. The Japanese AlphaTauri driver was forced to change the nose of his car.

The race is normalized and DRS can now be used

Yuki Tsunoda collided with Sebastian Vettel and the virtual safety car is activated.

Yuki Tsunoda crashes the front of his AlphaTauri and race control brings out the yellow flag.

The fight for the first place is totally exciting.

Verstappen is the leader of the race and has a +1.107 lead over Hamilton.

Max Verstappen sets fastest lap time of 1:32.712

Lewis Hamilton records new track record with a time of 1:33.056

1  Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing

2  Esteban OCON Alpine +1.596  

3  Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes +2.490

GREAT START BY VERSTAPPEN, OVERTAKING HAMILTON AND OCON AT TURN ONE.

NO INCIDENTS IN THE MIDFIELD, NO INCIDENTS AT THE BOTTOM.

VERSTAPPEN IS FIRST!

After the completion of the second suspension, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be relaunched.

The race will restart at 21:40 local time

Due to the new accidents, the race control again raises the red flag and the session is suspended momentarily for the second time.

VERSTAPPEN SALE MAL, HAMILTON BUSCA LA PUNTA PERO NO PUEDE SUPERAR AL RED BULL.

¡HAY CHOQUES ATRÁS Y SE TRATA DE NIKITA MAZEPIN Y SERGIO PÉREZ!

Cars leave pit lane behind safety car and race restarts in Saudi Arabia

In less than five minutes the race will restart in Saudi Arabia

Fortunately, the HAAS driver is fine and was able to get out of the car under his own power. The red flag remains in place.

El control de carrera de la FIA suspende la sesión momentáneamente.

Carlos Sainz overtook Antonio Giovinazzi on the main straight. With the presence of the safety car on track, overtaking is prohibited. The Ferrari driver could be the victim of a penalty.

DRIVERS ENTER THE PIT LANE TO CHANGE THEIR COMPOUNDS, EXCEPT MAX VERSTAPPEN WHO STAYS ON TRACK AND NOW LEADS THE SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX.

MICK SCHUMACHER CRASHED HIS HAAS AND THERE IS A YELLOW FLAG.

THE SAFETY CAR COMES OUT

RICCIARDO OVERTAKES GASLY ON THE MAIN STRAIGHT AND IS NOW IN EIGHTH PLACE

Daniel Ricciardo attacks Pierre Gasly and threatens to overtake him in eighth position. The Frenchman from AphaTauri is only +0.598 behind the McLaren.

Lando Norris is using the soft tires.

Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel are using the hard tires.

The rest of the grid took to the track on the medium tires.

Race control determines that a touching incident that occurred on the first lap of turn seven between Tsunoda and Stroll does not merit investigation.

Race incident

Lewis Hamilton sets first fastest lap record with a time of 1:34.020

The top five positions remain intact. Gasly offered an advantage and lost the position to Esteban Ocon.

Lewis Hamilton starts very well and keeps the first position. Bottas is second and Verstappen doesn't take off because of the Finn's overtaking.

Los coches comienzan la vuelta previa, calientan sus neumáticos y en breves minutos comenzará el Gran Premio de Arabia Saudita

Ahead of lights out, the whole paddock comes together to celebrate a true legend of Formula 1

Drivers, team members and world champions stand together for a minute of silence for the one and only Sir Frank Williams ❤️#F1 pic.twitter.com/Df6vCCPZm0 — Formula 1 (@F1) December 5, 2021

The 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race will start shortly.

1  Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes1:27.511  

2  Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes+0.111  

3  Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing--  

4  Charles LECLERC Ferrari+0.543  

5  Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing+0.612  

6  Pierre GASLY AlphaTauri+0.614  

7  Lando NORRIS McLaren+0.669  

8  Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri+0.931  

9  Esteban OCON Alpine+1.136  

10  Antonio GIOVINAZZI Alfa Romeo Racing+1.243

MAX VERSTAPPEN CRASHES HIS RED BULL AND LOSES POLE POSITION, IMPRESSIVE

HAMILTON SUPERA A VERSTAPPEN POR 142 MILÉSIMAS Y SE PONE PRIMERO DE LA Q3

1:27.511

For now the top three are:

1 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing1:27.653  

2 Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes+0.321  

3 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes+0.382

MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FIRST PLACE IN QUALIFYING WITH A TIME OF 1:27.653

Hamilton scores a bad first sector in his bid for pole. Nearly spun at turn eight

The last phase of the qualifying that will define the pole position starts. Hamilton and Lando Norris start

The eliminated are:

Daniel RICCIARDO McLaren+0.956  

Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN Alfa Romeo Racing+1.173  

Fernando ALONSO Alpine+1.208  

George RUSSELL Williams+1.342  

Carlos SAINZ Ferrari+25.940

1 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing1:27.946  

2 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing+0.007  

3 Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes+0.108  

4 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes+0.122  

5 Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri+0.276  

6 Pierre GASLY AlphaTauri+0.372  

7 Lando NORRIS McLaren+0.398  

8 Charles LECLERC Ferrari+0.513  

9 Antonio GIOVINAZZI Alfa Romeo Racing+0.670  

10 Esteban OCON Alpine+0.704

CHECO PEREZ SETS THE FASTEST TIME SO FAR IN THE SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX.

1:27.946

For now the eliminated are:

RUSSELL

GIOVINAZZI

OCON

ALONSO

SAINZ

Carlos Sainz spins with his Ferrari and nearly crashes his car

Max Verstappen records a time of 1:27.953 to take first place in Q2

Most of the drivers take to the track on the medium tire. Only Williams' George Russell uses the soft tire, which is the fastest of them all.

The second phase of the qualification begins. At the end of this one, we will have five new eliminated players

The eliminated are:

Nicholas LATIFI Williams+1.156  

Sebastian VETTEL Aston Martin+1.177  

Lance STROLL Aston Martin+1.347  

Mick SCHUMACHER Haas F1 Team+1.443  

Nikita MAZEPIN Haas F1 Team+2.452

There is a lot of traffic on the track. Blind curves make it impossible to set a clean record.

1 Sergio PEREZ Red Bull Racing1:28.021 1

2 Valtteri BOTTAS Mercedes+0.036  

3 Max VERSTAPPEN Red Bull Racing+0.264  

4 Carlos SAINZ Ferrari+0.309  

5 Lando NORRIS McLaren+0.317  

6 Lewis HAMILTON Mercedes+0.445  

7 Charles LECLERC Ferrari+0.533  

8 Daniel RICCIARDO McLaren+0.607  

9 Yuki TSUNODA AlphaTauri+0.716  

10 Pierre GASLY AlphaTauri+0.774  

11 Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN Alfa Romeo Racing+0.835  

12 Esteban OCON Alpine+0.896  

13 Antonio GIOVINAZZI Alfa Romeo Racing+0.924  

14 Fernando ALONSO Alpine+1.074  

15 George RUSSELL Williams+1.156 

For now, the eliminated pilots are:

RUSSELL

VETTEL

STROLL

MAZEPIN

LATIFI

Max Verstappen sets a track record with 1:28.285. He is now first in Q1

All drivers are using the soft tires. It is the fastest compound

Hamilton records a record 1:28.466 to take the lead in Q1

Arranca la Q1. Sale Max Verstappen y Lando Norris a la pista

Qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to begin in less than an hour

Don't miss a single detail of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian GP qualifying and race with updates and commentary from VAVEL.com Follow all the details, commentary, analysis and standings with us.

If you want to watch the 2021 F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix , your options are: STAR Action / ESPN.
If you want to watch it in streaming: Star+.

If you want to watch it online, VAVEL US is your best option.

Argentina: 14:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
Bolivia: 12:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
Brazil: 14:30 PM on ESPN
Chile: 14:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
Colombia: 12:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
Ecuador: 12:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
USA (ET): 12:30 PM on ESPN
Spain: 6:30 PM on DAZN
Mexico: 11:30 AM on Star + / ESPN
Paraguay: 14:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
Peru: 12:30 PM on Star + / ESPN
Uruguay: 14:30 PM on Star + / ESPN

With two races remaining in the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship, Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen holds a lead of just eight points over his nearest challenger, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. Will the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix define the new champion?

Red Soft C4: The fastest
Yellow Medium C3: Balanced
White Hard C2: Longest lasting

The Jeddah circuit arrives with its urban identity, but with a complicated layout for the drivers. As it is a street circuit, there are almost no run-off areas in the corners. Given the complexity of the track, the barriers are very close, forcing the cars to be as careful as possible. During free practice two, Charles Leclerc was involved in an accident at turn 22, wrecking his Ferrari FS21. Each driver will have to exercise caution between turns 17 and 22, as this is where the first DRS zone is located, which has small corners and blind spots.

Like Qatar's Losail International Circuit, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will make its debut in the Formula 1 World Championship. This track is new, having been inaugurated in 2021. It is an urban layout of 6.174 kilometers where on race day we will have a total of 50 laps that will define the first winner of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in the history of the category. There will be three DRS zones that will make overtaking possible.

Hello everyone! Welcome to VAVEL.com's coverage of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in the 2021 Formula 1 season.

My name is Esteban Monsalve and I will be your host for this broadcast. We will be bringing you pre-grand prix analysis, qualifying updates, race updates and live news here on VAVEL.com.