2025 F1 Saudi Arabian GP: the crucial role of setup and aerodynamic efficiency in Jeddah

Here we are for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship. Jeddah represents a unique challenge on the calendar. Not only for its average speed, over 250 kilometers per hour, which makes it the fastest street circuit in the championship, but also for the complexity of the layout itself: 27 corners, over 6 kilometer in length, and a continuous sequence of medium-high speed direction changes. On such a technical track, where drivers brush the walls at over 300 kilometers per hour, the setup is crucial and can make the difference between a perfect lap and an irreversible mistake.

The key word is just one: aerodynamic efficiency. It is not enough to have low-drag cars to gain on the straights. It is also necessary to generate a lot of downforce in the more technical sections. Rear downforce is medium-low, but the challenge is all about balance. Cars must be able to produce vertical load with low resistance, while maintaining stability in cornering and direction changes.

Many confuse efficiency with simply reducing drag, but in reality, it’s about maximizing the load generated relative to resistance. In Jeddah, the car’s floor does a lot of work: every setup variation or ride height adjustment can radically alter performance, as well as driver confidence—fundamental when, to maximize performance, especially in qualifying, drivers skim the walls corner after corner.

In this sense, in the first four races we’ve already seen significant differences between teammates: Charles Leclerc is clearly more at ease than Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. As for McLaren, Oscar Piastri has shown much more confidence behind the wheel than Lando Norris. When it comes to Red Bull, comparisons with Max Verstappen are almost pointless.

The suspension setup, as on every F1 track, will be decisive in best tackling the central snake section and all the quick direction changes of the layout. At the front, stiffer suspension is preferred, very similar to what we saw at Suzuka. The reason is clear: the stiffer the front end, the more precise the car is in direction changes. This ensures a stable aerodynamic platform and reduces body roll, avoiding air spills into the Venturi channels that would compromise the floor’s performance and downforce generation.

At the rear, on the contrary, a slightly softer setup is preferred. This helps maximize acceleration phases coming out of slow and medium-speed corners like 13, 17, 24, and especially turn 27. At this exact point on the track, it’s crucial to get on the throttle as early as possible to take advantage of the long straights and defend (or attack) in the drag reduction system zone.

Surely, a quicker damper compression setting at the rear also helps a lot, allowing the driver to apply throttle faster and more confidently. On the other hand, this way, weight transfer to the rear of the car happens more quickly after braking. In short, as always, even mechanically, finding the right compromise will be crucial.

Once again, it’s important to talk about ride heights in F1. The extremely smooth asphalt of the circuit allows teams to lower the cars significantly, thus increasing aerodynamic efficiency and reducing drag. However, attention must be paid to two critical points on the track: turns 10 and 23, where the curbs are higher. In these corners, drivers attack the curbs aggressively, optimize the racing line, and get on the throttle early.

If the F1 car is too low, there is a risk of scraping the plank, causing instability and a sudden loss of downforce (as well as excessive skid wear, which can lead to penalties, as Ferrari unfortunately knows very well). In Jeddah, the differential also plays a very strategic role. The sequence of fast corners and the need for a stable platform both on entry and exit make it essential to work on certain parameters:

diff entry: to be adjusted for natural car rotation without causing understeer;

diff mid: to maintain constant traction through long sustained corners;

diff exit: crucial to avoid wheelspin and to fully exploit hybrid power out of turns 13, 17, and 27.

Hybrid power management will certainly be an area that F1 teams have worked on back at the factory. In fact, on a track where there are few braking zones—mainly in turns 1 and 27—energy recovery from the MGU-K is limited. The MGU-H, which recovers thermal energy from the turbine, will therefore take center stage. Teams have planned when and how much to recharge in order to maximize attack and defense phases on the long straights.

It is an often underrated element, but it can make a huge strategic difference in the race. In conclusion, Jeddah is a circuit that does not forgive. Driver confidence, aerodynamic efficiency, and an extremely precise setup are the keys to unlocking performance. The margin for error is minimal and the wall is always just around the corner. Whoever manages to find the perfect balance between stability and speed will be able to make the difference in both qualifying and the race.