In the round-up: Lando Norris says a less than perfect final lap in qualifying cost him a top five start.
In brief
Norris “messed up” at end of qualifying
Norris qualified seventh on the grid for McLaren but is sure a better starting position was possible. “I should have been in fifth place, ahead of Pierre [Gasly] and ahead of Sergio [Perez],” he said.“I messed up on my last lap. I was down but I think the last two corners I definitely could have improved. I obviously didn’t because I pushed a bit too much into turn 22 and then bottomed out a lot over the exit kerbs.”
Norris, the only driver out of the top 10 who will start the race on soft tyres, said his grid position was “good enough” under the circumstances. “I’m happy to be in Q3, we could have been out like Daniel was but I’m happy enough to be P7.”
Jeddah rewards risk – Leclerc
Charles Leclerc expects a highly demanding 50-lap race around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. As well as being physically demanding, he says the circuit rewards risks in a way other circuits don’t.
“It’s going to be incredibly difficult, especially to stay on it,” said the Ferrari driver. “The risks that you take are a lot rewarding in terms of lap times, which sometimes on tracks it’s not that way, it’s particularly like this here.
“It’s going to be tricky, but our race pace looks strong. So I am optimistic for tomorrow.”
Fundraiser started for Abbie Eaton’s spinal injury recovery
A fundraiser has been set up for Abbie Eaton, who fractured two vertebra after her car lifted suddenly and slammed back down to the ground, going over a sausage kerb at COTA that was later removed.
Eaton’s injury was originally diagnosed as a single fracture but found to be a double one when she underwent treatment for it. The fundraiser states that she will be wearing a neck brace until at least February 2022 and require extensive physical recovery time after that.
“During this time she won’t be able to earn a living from her job as a professional driver and driver coach,” explains the fundraising page, organised by Jamie Stanley. “I wanted to help raise some money for her to help remove the stress of this from her recovery and to help her get the medical treatment needed to hopefully be fit enough for 2022.”
Eaton posted the fundraiser to social media, thanking those who had helped her. “I can’t even begin to explain how overwhelmed I am with the kindness of Jamie and everyone so far. I had deliberated about setting something like this up myself as all my other avenues for help got cut off but I must admit I feel uncomfortable about these sorts of things.
“You guys have already made me breathe a little easier in only a few hours. Thank you all so much.”
No drinks on Jeddah podium
No bubbles will be sprayed on podiums in Jeddah, as at Formula E’s races in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh. Although in other middle eastern venues where alcohol is restricted rose water has been sprayed in place of sparkling wine during podium celebrations, Saudi Arabian laws mean that the promotion of anything even resembling alcohol is not permitted and so podium celebrations will be dry.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
In Jeddah with @F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, @MercedesAMGF1 boss Toto Wolff and @redbullracing chief Christian Horner at my last Team Principals’ Meeting as @FIA President. Deeply touched by the friendship they have shown me.#F1 #SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/j2NKQjL6VF
— Jean Todt (@JeanTodt) December 4, 2021
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Jean Todt: "Saudi Arabia until 2018 could not host one international event because women were forbidden to drive, now women can drive, so changes are occurring, but we should not get involved in political matters."
'I respect Lewis Hamilton as a driver, but the rest... nothing' (Daily Mail)
Jos Verstappen: "Max is how he is. Some people like it. Some people don’t. He says what he thinks but doesn’t get involved in political matters, such as what is happening in other countries, like Lewis does. Max sees it as a case of doing a job as a sportsman and leaving it at that."
Saudi Arabian GP: a race for equal rights (BBC)
"'It was a difficult thing to process. It brought up a lot of conflicting thoughts in my mind,' Richard Morris, the UK's most prominent openly gay racing driver, tells Newsbeat."
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in via the contact form.
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Comment of the day
Did hastiness in re-applying the throttle turn Max Verstappen’s last-corner mistake into an avoidable crash?
I think the issue I have with it is not the initial mistake – the lock-up – but rather the gunning of the throttle, that was only ever going to make the back slide round and hit the wall. Smacked of ill-discipline.
Making a mistake that ruins your lap is one thing, and forgivable. Crashing after the time damage is done and potentially giving yourself a gearbox penalty is another thing entirely.
@Tflb
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Eric!
DaveW (@dmw)
5th December 2021, 1:10
Todt: we stayed out of KSA before 2018 because of politics but we don’t do politics. OK.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
5th December 2021, 1:47
Sorry Jean, but deciding to hold a race in Saudi Arabia was always going to be perceived as political. There is no escape from it. Of course it was going to be controversial.
medman (@medman)
5th December 2021, 2:11
Jean Toad strikes again.
David BR (@david-br)
5th December 2021, 2:17
Sad to hear about Abbie Eaton’s injury. Sausage kerbs are a nightmare invention.
Jere (@jerejj)
5th December 2021, 6:53
@david-br Except sausage curbs weren’t in this case.
Hazel Southwell (@hazelsouthwell)
5th December 2021, 10:15
@jerejj kerbs is the correct spelling in British english, US english seems to use either interchangeably. Curb is a verb in UK English. (as in, the risk curbs drivers’ enthusiasm to get involved with kerbs)
Sausage kerbs..
5th December 2021, 5:44
Worth watching the video about it on drivetribe YouTube channel. She raises some important points
Cmon
5th December 2021, 5:46
Well this is the perfect opportunity for them try something out on the podium that I’ve wanted to see since I was a kid watching F1. High pressure water guns and water balloons lol. Would probably be more interesting and funnier too
Jere (@jerejj)
5th December 2021, 6:56
Even Horner looks tall in that image. TBH, nearly everyone does the same when standing besides Tsunoda.
COTD: Indeed.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
5th December 2021, 10:34
Idiotic comment by Todt. Choosing to hold a race in Saudi Arabia is a political act.