Key talking points ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Red Bull looked more dominant than ever at the opening race of the Formula 1 season in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez did not have to break a sweat as they cruised home for a one-two finish.

But victory is never guaranteed in motorsport and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be another tough test for the world's best drivers.

Read on as we discuss the key talking points ahead of the race in Jeddah.

Sainz sidelined

After struggling in the first two practice sessions on Thursday, news broke that Carlos Sainz will miss the rest of the weekend to undergo surgery for appendicitis.

He will be replaced by 18-year-old Oliver Bearman, who has been pulled from his Formula 2 duties to compete alongside Charles Leclerc.

The British prospect won Formula 4 in 2021 and has been climbing ever since in the hope of eventually earning a spot at the top table.

He has now been handed one of the rarest opportunities in the racing industry and will be keen to impress with all eyes on him in Saudi Arabia.

Another Saturday showdown

Like Bahrain, the Saudi Arabian GP will take place on Saturday instead of the usual Sunday slot to respect those who participate in Ramadan between March and April.

That means the 10 teams will have a day less to prepare their cars, with the first two practice sessions happening today and the all-important qualifying taking place on Friday.

Perez, 34, won the event last year and will need to start getting his elbows out if he is to have any chance of challenging for Verstappen's crown — and retaining his Red Bull seat in 2025.

Teething issues

Both Mercedes and Ferrari suffered with issues in Bahrain so we are yet to see the full potential of their cars ahead of the short trip west to Saudi Arabia.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were required to turn their engines down due to overheating and Leclerc's Prancing Horse had problems with brake temperature.

Team principals Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur claimed they were losing half a second per lap to the leaders — meaning we should see a closer battle towards the front this weekend.

Fast and furious

Jeddah is one of the fastest circuits in F1 with an average speed of 157mph over 6.17km.

There have been some great battles under the lights and Perez even labelled the street track as "the most dangerous place on the calendar" in 2021.

The Saudi Arabian GP certainly requires a high level of concentration and those who are confident enough to throw their cars into the high-speed corners will come out on top.

Paddock tension

Red Bull boss Christian Horner was cleared after an internal investigation into his behaviour last week but since then Jos Verstappen — father of Max — has called for him to quit.

The Dutchman believes Horner, 50, is jeopardising the team and reports have emerged suggesting F1's current champion could look for a different seat if he does not step down.

Tensions are also rising between Visa Cash App RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.

The pair had some choice words for each other after the latter was forced to concede his position to the Aussie in Bahrain.

Alpine's downfall

Pierre Gasly secured a podium in the Netherlands for Alpine in 2023 but the French team's start to the new season has been disastrous.

Gasly and team-mate Esteban Ocon finished 18th and 17th in Bahrain respectively, confirming their poor pace that was evident in pre-season testing.

Things may look different in Saudi Arabia but the recent resignation of Alpine's technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer suggests things are not set to rapidly improve.