Verstappen to arrive late for Saudi Arabian GP after being struck by illness

Two-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen will be late to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after suffering from illness.

The defending champion, who won comfortably in Bahrain a fortnight ago, confirmed the news on Twitter when he said he'll only be in Jeddah on Friday, 17 March.

"Feeling fine again after not being fit for a few days because of a stomach bug. Therefore, I, unfortunately, had to postpone my flight for a day, so I won't be on the track until Friday," he wrote on Twitter.

It is not uncommon for drivers to miss media duties and other track activities on a Thursday ahead of the race weekend, and Red Bull Racing confirmed that the FIA approved the star driver's absence.

Verstappen the favourite

In the aftermath of the Bahrain GP, it came to light that Red Bull asked both its drivers to decrease their pace by 0.7 seconds. Such was the advantage Red Bull had over the rest of the field that they could step off the accelerator and still maintain a comfortable advantage.

But what was ominous for the rest of the grid was that Fernando Alonso (third) crossed the finish line 38 seconds after Verstappen - this after the Bulls reduced their speed by almost one second!

If Red Bull's pace is indeed as scary as it seems on paper, then the unique challenge posed by the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will do little to deter their performance. It's a given that some teams will struggle more than others this weekend, but it's safe to assume that the Austrian team will still set the pace.

Underlining their impressive form is Verstappen looking to fight for the win, with the 25-year-old Dutchman saying: "We have a strong car for this track, but I don't expect it to be easy."