JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Formula One has confirmed this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will go ahead as planned despite an attack on a nearby oil facility.
An Aramco oil depot 10 kilometers east of Jeddah Road caught fire on Friday night, with a large plume of black smoke visible from the track during the race’s opening practice session of the weekend.
Later that day, a military spokesman for the Houthis in Yemen, which has been fighting a Saudi-led coalition for seven years, claimed responsibility for a missile attack on a military facility. Aramco’s headquarters in Jeddah.
Authorities claimed no casualties and reported that the fire was under control late in the evening.
The second practice session was delayed by 15 minutes while the team’s drivers and principals met with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to discuss Friday’s attacks.
Domenicali provided an update on the situation and informed the teams and drivers that the weekend would go ahead as planned.
He also assured them that security had taken priority over the fire following a similar incident at an oil and gas facility in Jeddah last week, which also involved a Houthi missile attack.
All 20 drivers then took part in a second practice session before joining a meeting with F1 and Domenicali team bosses the following evening for further discussion.
The meeting lasted 40 minutes, with drivers engaged throughout and ended after a 15-minute period during which all drivers and team bosses were present together in F1 hospitality.
“We have received complete assurance that the safety of the country comes first,” Domenicali told reporters after the meeting. “No matter what the situation is, safety has to be ensured.
“They’re here with their family really here at the track. So they’ve set up all the systems to protect this area, the city, the places we’re going. So, we feel confident and we have to trust the local government in that so of course we’re going to go ahead with the event.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: “We had meetings with senior security and then we had meetings of course with the team principals, we had meetings with the financial resources. driver.
“Who is [the Houthis] targeting? They are targeting infrastructure, economic infrastructure, not civilians and of course not tracking.
“We’ve checked the facts from them and we have assurance from the top that this is a safe place, everything will be secure and let’s keep the race going. Make sure everyone All the families are here. We’re just looking forward but with a guarantee that nothing will happen.”
When Domenicali was asked if all the drivers agreed that the race would continue, he said: “They will be on the right track.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner agreed with the decision to continue the race.
“I think the sport has to have a collective companionship,” said Horner. “Any act of terrorism cannot be tolerated. The sport should not be subjected to bullying in a position where a situation like this is unacceptable.
“Stefano and the president, they’re working on that. The organizers have secured it all and we’re going to race.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added: “[The F1 circuit] Probably the safest place you can be in Saudi Arabia at the moment. “
The race promoter, Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC), confirmed the attack and said security had been enhanced to match the threat posed by the event.
“We became aware of the attack on the Aramco distribution station in Jeddah earlier this afternoon,” SMC said in a statement. “Race organizers remain in direct contact with the security agencies of Saudi Arabia, as well as F1 and the FIA to ensure all necessary safety and security measures continue to be taken to ensure the safety of all visitors to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia as well as all drivers, teams and stakeholders.
“The race weekend schedule will continue as planned. The safety and security of all our guests continues to be our main priority and we look forward to welcoming fans for a racing weekend and high end entertainment.”
Regarding the delayed training session, F1’s governing body released the following statement. “In the interest of the safety of all Event participants, the Managers have revised the Official Program for Friday, March 25, 2022, at the request of the Organizer, by delaying Postponed Monday Practice session 15 minutes to start at 20: 15 Saudi Arabia time.”
