The layout of Jeddah's 27-turn 6.175 km track features several lengthy full-throttle sections that cater to low drag settings and stretches of fast and sinuous corners that require more downforce.
As usual, the ideal compromise will slightly favour one or the other depending on a car's design and specific characteristics.
It's not uncommon for the fastest qualifier to also clock in with the highest top speed, but it's not a frequent achievement. But that was the feat accomplished by Red Bull's Sergio Perez in Jeddah on Saturday evening.
The Mexican and his teammate Max Verstappen already topped the speed trap readings in Bahrain, so there is no doubting both the healthy muscle of the Honda power unit and the low drag qualities of Red Bull's RB18.
Perez just pipped Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to pole, but the latter's 6.5 km velocity deficit to the Saudi Arabian GP's poleman, based on the speed trap numbers, suggests that the Scuderia's F1-75 still has an edge over Red Bull's RB18 in the corners.
It's close between the two teams,but Perez and Verstappen's top speed advantage may help the pair swing the race in their favour this evening against their Scuderia adversaries, assuming similar tyre strategies are implemented in both camps, which remains to be seen.
There's been some speculation surrounding Mercedes' power unit, with pundits suggesting the engine is now trailing Honda and Ferrari, an assertion supported by the numbers, with the five slowest cars - through the speed trap and in qualifying, discounting Tsunoda - all powered by Mercedes' hardware
However, one might still give the German manufacturer's unit the benefit of the doubt as McLaren, Aston Martin and Williams are all dealing with chassis issues of their own.
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