F1
Soon a second Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia?
The Jeddah circuit could be joined by a 2nd Saudi circuit in F1 © DPPI
Could we have two Grands Prix contested in Saudi Arabia in the near future? In any case, this is the ambition of the Saudi authorities. In an interview organized on the sidelines of the Jeddah meeting, Prince Khalid bin Sultan al-Abdullah al-Faisal (also president of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation) affirmed his desire to host two races of Formula 1 per year in the future.
“The idea of organizing two races in Saudi Arabia is feasible, Prince al-Faisal said, reports Reuters. There are three races in the United States because the market there is large and there is demand. The demand therefore exists (in Saudi Arabia), but the decision has not yet been made. There are many things we need to take into account. The sport is growing and so is the demand, so I wouldn't be surprised if Saudi Arabia hosts two races in the near future. I wouldn't be surprised.", he added.
Jeddah and Qiddiya on the 2027 calendar?
Saudi Arabia has been hosting Formula 1 since 2021 on the Corniche circuit in Jeddah, the maritime gateway to Mecca. The route will remain the meeting place of F1 until at least 2027. A period which was not planned in the initial plans, when the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was made official at the end of 2020.
Originally, Jeddah was to be a temporary solution before another circuit takes over in 2023: Qiddiya, a new mega-sports complex designed from scratch in the Saudi desert. Problem: this complex announced as ultra-futuristic is still under construction, and far from being finished…
However, when the Qiddiya complex is completed (around 2027), Saudi Arabia wants to keep Jeddah on the calendar in addition to a second race at Qiddiya. Prince al-Faisal said Formula 1 was the most important sporting event in Saudi Arabia and considerable investment had been made in the Jeddah circuit, but there had been no discussions with the owners commercial rights, Liberty Media, on the organization of two races.
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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18/03/2023 at 06:53 a.m.
Why not since the bloody MBS - the one who eliminates journalists and wages war in Yemen - is a follower of soft power with his bloody dollars which also allow him to organize the 2029 Asian Winter Games in the middle of the desert in the mountains with artificial snow. Clearly, dollars have no smell for Liberty Media!
JEAN LUC BAG
18/03/2023 at 11:45 a.m.
Normal, money goes to money! While most historic GPs are in danger (not profitable enough?), we are multiplying these races in tax havens even with questionable democracy. F1 today is beautiful!