Mathematically, Max Verstappen could win the 2021 world championship at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. If that happens, Verstappen would be the pole bearer of a change in Formula 1 championships after almost a decade. Yet this change is still uncertain. What will certainly change in Saudi Arabia, though, is the look of the Formula 1 safety car.

Albeit for just one weekend.

Kym Illman, the F1 accredited photojournalist, recently shared this news on his Instagram account. Illman wrote that the Aston Martin safety car will be wrapped in the flag of Saudi Arabia.

“At next weekend’s Saudi Arabian grand prix, expect to see the Aston Martin safety car wrapped in the Saudi Arabian flag. The flag, which is green with white script on it, will match nicely with Aston Martin’s normal green color. The week after the Aston Martin will return to it’s normal livery for the season finale in Abu Dhabi,” reads the caption.

Rivals lock horn in the first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

After the race in Qatar, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff suggested Mercedes may bring an even better package to Saudi.

“It’s a long straight, we’ll get our spicy equipment (engine) out for Saudi Arabia that we didn’t use (in Qatar),” Wolff said.

But Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko suggested that despite Mercedes using the engine from Brazil, they won’t experience any big gains. The Austrian believes that it’s because Mercedes can no longer use its ‘extremely flexible rear wing’.

“Mercedes will be using the rocket motor from Brazil in Saudi Arabia again, [but] because you can no longer lower the spoiler, it will no longer bring an advantage of 0.4 seconds,” Marko said.

For many weeks, the race in Saudi Arabia was shrouded in uncertainty. Questions were rising about whether the race will take place or not. This was because the circuit wasn’t fully constructed and it looked like it wouldn’t make it.

But now it’s sure that the cars are ready to rumble on F1’s latest and the fastest street circuit. We’re in for an exciting race that could potentially add more excitement to this already exciting season of 2021.