Ted Kravitz will be notably absent from Sky Sports’ coverage of the upcoming Saudi Arabia Grand Prix this weekend. The fifth race of the season, set to take place in Jeddah on Sunday evening, sees McLaren’s Lando Norris aiming to increase his lead in the championship.
Norris is currently just three points ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri, following the Australian’s victory at last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Expectations are high for a strong McLaren performance in Saudi, a track known for its exhilarating races. Previous winners under the Jeddah lights include Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Red Bull has enjoyed a three-year winning streak as the constructor, although this could well change this weekend.
Sky will provide UK viewers with extensive coverage of the Grand Prix, as they do for every F1 race. Since 2012, when he moved from BBC Sport, Kravitz has been an integral part of Sky’s team.
As a pitlane reporter, he provides regular updates on each team’s strategy during sessions and also hosts the popular Ted’s Notebook programme after each session of a Grand Prix weekend.
However, he has now announced that he will not be present at this year’s Saudi Grand Prix. Kravitz also confirmed that the Notebook would not be broadcast with a stand-in host, but will return for the Miami Grand Prix in May.
He declared: “It’s the Saudi Grand Prix on the 18th, 19th and 20th of April. I won’t be there – it’s my first of this year’s races where I’m not on site. So the Notebook will return at the Miami Grand Prix at the start of May.”
Kravitz will return for the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, May 4.
Kravitz’s nonattendance is anticipated, given that he also skipped the previous year’s Saudi Grand Prix due to scheduling as per his contract arrangements. With a packed roster featuring 24 races, Sky broadcasters rotate taking breaks throughout the season.
The upcoming race is forecasted to experience scorching temperatures with clear skies, marking it as the second nocturnal Grand Prix of the current season. Freewheeling into action, Free Practice One ignites at 2.30pm Friday, followed by a keenly awaited qualifying session planned for 6pm Saturday, with the main event roaring into life at the same time on Sunday evening.
Jeddah’s circuits are renowned for their pace, heralded as the world’s speediest street track and the second-quickest in the Formula 1 lineup. Throughout the race, drivers will sustain an average velocity exceeding 250km/h while maneuvering through a staggering 27 bends – the highest count of any F1 circuit.
These contours are predominantly tackled at max throttle, with drivers applying full power for an extraordinary 75 percent of each lap. It’s a prospect that leaves Norris eager with anticipation, as he aims to make amends following a lacklustre outing in Bahrain.
“I’m excited to head back to Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend. It’s a really fast track and we have a quick car, so we’ll be aiming to finish this triple-header strongly,” he enthused.
“I’m proud with how we’ve started the season. We’ve celebrated our success but also come together as a team to debrief and take away our learnings ahead of the next race. I’m feeling good and look forward to going racing again this weekend.”
