How to watch the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP live: start time and live streams

F1

The complete TV and live stream timings for the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – can Leclerc and Ferrari make it two in a row?

BAHRAIN - Max Verstappen (1) driving the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 Honda behind Charles Leclerc (16) with the Ferrari on track during the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 20, 2022 in Bahrain, Bahrain. ANP ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN (Photo by ANP via Getty Images)

F1 could be set for another thriller in Saudi Arabia

ANP ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN (Photo by ANP via Getty Images)

Last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix couldn’t have got Formula 1’s new era off to a better start – a thrilling battle for the lead, late drama in spades and grand prix racing’s most famous team Ferrari back on top again.

F1’s new rules are designed to make the racing closer and give cars more opportunity to pass. Charles Leclerc’s titanic scrap with Max Verstappen appeared to confirm they’ve been largely successful one race down, and with plenty of action further down the field all the signs are we could be set for another classic season.

Now the F1 circus makes the short hop to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for the second event of a 23-race campaign, on a fast and flowing 6.174km track which last year provided a breathtaking duel between Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen in what turned out to be a key race for the championship.

Ferrari’s speed in Bahrain partly came from its strength in low-speed corners, but with impressive top speed another weapon in its arsenal, Jeddah – the ‘fastest street circuit in the world’ with 310km/h being hit three times – could well also favour the Scuderia.

Red Bull will of course also be contenders, but will the Milton Keynes squad have solved its reliability issues in just the fews days-gap between Saudi and Bahrain, after fuel pick-up issues stymied its challenge in the closing laps of the latter race?

Hamilton salvaged an impressive third in the misfiring W13, but Mercedes’ technical chief James Allison says the car’s performance issues could take “two to three races” to remedy.

With another exciting race looking to be in store, here’s how to watch this weekend’s Saudi Arabian GP.

 

Key times

If you want to view all the action live as it happens, below are the times you need to tune into your TV or have your device ready. Times are GMT.

Qualifying

Live: Saturday, 4.55pm

Highlights: Saturday, 8.25pm

Race

Live: Sunday, 5.55pm

Highlights: Sunday, 10.25pm

 

How many laps is the Saudi Arabian GP?

The 2022 Saudi Arabia GP, held on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, is 50 laps long. The track is 6.174km (3.8 miles) and features three DRS detection zones. There is a 0% chance of rain at the track this weekend, with highs of 27, 29 and 32 degrees celsius on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively– though of course FP3 qualifying and the race will be held at night.

 

Where to watch

All sessions will be live on Sky Sports F1, including pre and post-session coverage. As per usual, Channel 4 will feature highlights of the qualifying and race sessions after both have finished.

Live coverage of the race begins at 4.30pm on Sky Sports F1 and 5pm on Sky Sports Main Event. Highlights on Channel 4 start at 10.30pm on Sunday evening.

 

Sky Sports F1 – Live

Friday: FP1 – 1.30pm | FP2 – 4.45pm

Saturday: FP3 –1.45pm | Qualifying – 4pm

Sunday: Race – 4.30pm

 

Channel 4 – Highlights

Saturday: Qualifying – 8.30pm

Sunday: Race – 10.30pm

 

How to stream

NowTV covers every session throughout the weekend, meaning you can stay up-to-date with the action whatever your location. You can download the app on mobile and tablet devices – weekend passes are also available which provide all the live sessions in addition to the pre and post-race coverage.

 

Who will win? 

Ferrari looked strong in testing prior to last week’s season opener, and so it proved as Charles Leclerc fended off Max Verstappen to take Ferrari’s first win in three years, with Carlos Sainz claiming second as the Red Bull challenge faltered.

It’s likely we’ll see the same two teams fighting it out again, with Mercedes filling in the third-fastest slot. In addition to Lewis Hamilton’s podium, George Russell aided the damage limitation with a solid fourth in Bahrain.

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The Brackley team seemed to have solved some of its porpoising testing issues, but is still not quite on top of it in the same way its two aforementioned rivals are, saying it might take “two to three races” to get back on par.

Further back, Alfa Romeo looked to have overcome its testing reliability woes as Valtteri Bottas finished sixth with team-mate Zhou Guanyu coming in 10th, whilst Haas putting all its efforts into its 2022 car appeared to have paid off – a triumphant Kevin Magnussen took fifth place on his return, with Mick Schumacher missing out on a debut point by one place.

We could well see these previous midfield back-markers pick up more points as both Aston Martin and McLaren struggle to extract performance from their new cars.

 

 

2022 Saudi Arabian GP session times

(All times GMT)

Friday

Free Practice 1: 2pm – 3pm

Free Practice 2: 5pm – 6pm

Saturday

Free Practice 3: 2pm – 3pm

Qualifying: 5pm – 6pm

Sunday

Race: 6pm – 8pm

 

Formula 2 Saudi Arabia GP session times

Friday

Free Practice 1: 11.25am – 12.10pm

Qualifying: 3.30pm – 4pm

Saturday

Sprint race: 12.30pm – 1.15pm

Sunday

Feature race: 1.35pm – 2.35pm