Stretching along the shores of the Red Sea in Jeddah, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is one of the most ambitious street circuits ever constructed. Opened in 2021, it immediately redefined expectations of what a temporary street venue could achieve by combining exceptionally high average speeds with the unforgiving precision demanded by concrete barriers.
Designed by renowned circuit architect Hermann Tilke in collaboration with Formula One’s Motorsport Division, the circuit features an extraordinary sequence of fast bends linked by only a handful of heavy braking zones.
Unlike traditional street circuits that rely on slow corners, Jeddah rewards confidence, aerodynamic stability and absolute precision while remaining one of the fastest circuits on the Formula One calendar.
In Brief
- Jeddah Corniche Circuit opened in 2021.
- It is widely recognised as the fastest street circuit in Formula One history.
- The layout measures over six kilometres, making it one of the longest circuits on the calendar.
- The circuit features 27 corners, more than any other current Formula One venue.
- The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is held entirely under floodlights.
- Many corners are taken at speeds exceeding those of several permanent racing circuits.
History
The creation of Jeddah Corniche Circuit formed part of Saudi Arabia’s wider investment in international motorsport during the early 2020s.
Construction began in 2021 with the objective of creating a world-class Formula One venue on the city’s waterfront. The circuit was completed in remarkably little time, allowing the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to take place in December 2021.
From its first race, Jeddah attracted worldwide attention for its combination of remarkable speed and close proximity to concrete walls. Drivers quickly recognised that the circuit demanded commitment comparable to permanent venues while leaving almost no margin for error.
Although originally intended as a temporary home before the construction of a future permanent venue, Jeddah Corniche Circuit rapidly established its own identity as one of Formula One’s most distinctive modern circuits.
Circuit Design
The Grand Prix layout measures 6.174 kilometres, making it one of the longest circuits on the Formula One calendar.
Unlike Monaco, where tight hairpins dominate the lap, Jeddah is built around continuous high-speed direction changes. The circuit contains 27 corners, many of which are taken at remarkable speed despite the surrounding walls.
The layout follows the Red Sea coastline, incorporating long sweeping bends, blind entries and rapid transitions that reward aerodynamic efficiency and driver confidence. Several corners are effectively linked into continuous sequences, encouraging drivers to maintain momentum throughout the lap.
Modern safety systems, TecPro barriers and extensive lighting infrastructure allow the circuit to host Formula One as a spectacular night race while preserving the visual drama of a genuine street circuit.
LENGTH
6.174
kilometres
WIDTH
12–15
metres
DIRECTION
CCW
counter-clockwise
TURNS
27
16 left – 11 right
SURFACE
Asphalt
LONGEST STRAIGHT
1,031
metres
ELEVATION CHANGE
2.6
metres
OPENED
2021
5 years ago
Jeddah Corniche Circuit is defined by exceptional speed, rapid direction changes and the close proximity of barriers characteristic of a street circuit. Despite containing a large number of corners, relatively few are conventional slow turns; much of the lap consists of fast, flowing sequences where several bends effectively merge into one continuous movement and accurate positioning becomes critical.
The opening sector introduces the circuit’s slower technical character before speed builds rapidly through a succession of sweeping bends alongside the Red Sea. Through the middle of the lap, competitors negotiate repeated high-speed changes of direction where limited visibility and closely positioned walls leave little margin for correcting an inaccurate line. The final section combines further fast sequences with the major braking area at the final corner, where competitors must slow substantially before accelerating onto the long start-finish section.
Although individual corners are less important to Jeddah’s identity than at many traditional circuits, its defining challenge comes from maintaining precision at very high speed through sequences bordered closely by barriers. Drivers who establish a consistent rhythm, anticipate corners that are only partially visible and remain committed without exceeding the circuit’s narrow margins are generally rewarded most strongly.
| Corner |
|---|
| T1 101° · Left · 33 m |
| T2 129° · Right · 55 m |
| T3 030° · Left · 87 m |
| T4 069° · Left · 15 m |
| T5 109° · Right · 201 m |
| T6 054° · Left · 89 m |
| T7 040° · Left · 42 m |
| T8 057° · Right · 47 m |
| T9 070° · Right · 87 m |
| T10 065° · Left · 74 m |
| T11 017° · Right · 85 m |
| T12 018° · Left · 75 m |
| T13 209° · Left · 272 m |
| T14 060° · Right · 261 m |
| T15 029° · Left · 98 m |
| T16 079° · Right · 74 m |
| T17 070° · Left · 93 m |
| T18 033° · Left · 187 m |
| T19 028° · Right · 146 m |
| T20 037° · Left · 207 m |
| T21 048° · Right · 335 m |
| T22 066° · Left · 35 m |
| T23 040° · Right · 82 m |
| T24 039° · Right · 52 m |
| T25 042° · Left · 219 m |
| T26 040° · Left · 368 m |
| T27 139° · Left · 93 m |
Jeddah Corniche Circuit represents an important stage in the expansion of international motorsport within Saudi Arabia. Created for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, the circuit brought Formula One to the Kingdom as part of a broader programme that has also attracted major international competitions across several forms of motorsport.
Formula One immediately established Jeddah’s international identity. The circuit’s first Grand Prix formed part of the dramatic conclusion to the 2021 World Championship, while its combination of extreme speed, barriers and limited visibility quickly distinguished it from other contemporary street venues. Subsequent races have reinforced Jeddah’s reputation as one of Formula One’s most technically unusual urban circuits.
Its importance also reflects the wider emergence of Saudi Arabia as a major host of global motorsport, alongside events including the Dakar Rally, Formula E and other international competition. Jeddah therefore forms part of a much broader development of motorsport infrastructure and international sporting events within the country rather than existing as an isolated Formula One project.
The circuit’s long-term significance will depend on how Saudi Arabia’s Grand Prix programme evolves, particularly as permanent motorsport infrastructure develops elsewhere in the country. Within the present era, however, Jeddah Corniche Circuit represents a distinctive chapter in Formula One’s expansion in the Middle East, combining a prominent waterfront setting with an unusually fast interpretation of the modern street circuit.
Visitor Experience
The circuit offers one of Formula One’s most striking visual settings.
Located directly alongside the Red Sea Corniche, spectators enjoy a modern waterfront environment with grandstands overlooking high-speed sections illuminated by sophisticated floodlighting. The night-time atmosphere, combined with the city’s skyline and coastal setting, creates one of the championship’s most distinctive race weekends.
Visitors can also explore Jeddah’s historic waterfront, modern Corniche developments and the nearby UNESCO-listed Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad), blending contemporary motorsport with one of the Arabian Peninsula’s oldest trading cities.
Climate
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Rainfall mm | Rainy days | Daylight h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 20° | 21 | 3 | 11.0 |
| February | 28° | 20° | 2 | 1 | 11.4 |
| March | 29° | 21° | 4 | 1 | 12.0 |
| April | 32° | 23° | 3 | 0 | 12.7 |
| May | 35° | 25° | 0 | 0 | 13.2 |
| June | 36° | 26° | 0 | 0 | 13.4 |
| July | 36° | 27° | 0 | 0 | 13.3 |
| August | 36° | 28° | 0 | 0 | 12.9 |
| September | 35° | 27° | 0 | 0 | 12.3 |
| October | 34° | 26° | 2 | 0 | 11.6 |
| November | 31° | 24° | 28 | 2 | 11.1 |
| December | 28° | 21° | 15 | 3 | 10.8 |
Monthly averages for Jeddah Corniche Circuit, 1991–2020.
Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026 (CC BY 4.0).
Neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use that may be made of the Copernicus information or data it contains.
Location
Jeddah Corniche Circuit is situated along the Red Sea waterfront in Jeddah, approximately 20 kilometres north of the city centre and within convenient reach of King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Its coastal location provides a unique backdrop that distinguishes it from every other Formula One street circuit.
Address
طريق الكورنيش،
23512 Jeddah
Jeddah, Makkah Province
Saudi Arabia
Website