Ferrari Head of Track Engineering explains plan of action for Jeddah weekend

The next round of the 2023 F1 campaign is scheduled to take place next weekend at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia. The track is known for being “the fastest street circuit in the world.” It has 27 corners, the highest number of any track on the calendar and is 6.1 kilometres-long, which makes it the longest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar. Despite the fact that it is a temporary racing venue, some parts of the track, along the Jeddah seafront, are permanent.

Click here for the full race weekend schedule in Saudi Arabia.

Ferrari Head of Track Engineering Matteo Togninalli opens up on the next round of the 2023 Formula 1 season, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, in the official Ferrari preview posted on the Maranello team’s website, ahead of a weekend in which Charles Leclerc will have his work cut out after his Ferrari team fitted another power unit component.

Saudi Arabia hosts the second round of the season at the Jeddah Corniche circuit. The race is run at night on a very high speed track, with blind corners and walls. What is the plan of action for the weekend to give the drivers everything they need?
Matteo Togninalli: “I’ve had this feeling quite often in my career, but I have to admit, this time it’s extra special. I can feel the passion not only from every single employee in Maranello, but also from the tifosi – and it only took me a couple of months to get infected by this passion and excitement. We can’t wait to get the season started”.

This race comes with a high chance of red flags, Safety Cars and Virtual Safety Cars, so have you prepared for any specific scenarios?
Matteo Togninalli: “Testing was good and the three days last week showed that the car is matching our expectations and now we need to continue fine-tuning in order to get the most out of it. One thing is clear: this will be the Championship with the most races ever, so no matter what the result, the title won’t be won or lost in Bahrain”.

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Drivers are often asked what type of track they prefer, but what sort do the engineers like best?
Matteo Togninalli: “We know the track pretty well, but the changing air and track temperatures, as well as changing wind conditions, plus the new Pirelli tyres will make it very tricky to get the set-up of the car right, but both Carlos and Charles collected a lot of data during the three test days, so we should be well prepared for a good weekend”.