Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Will Go on Despite Nearby Rebel Missile Attack

IMAGO / HochZwei

Editors’ note, March 26 at 9:55 a.m. ET: Based on previous reporting by BBC Sport, an earlier version of this story stated that drivers were warned about the consequences of the possibility of Sunday’s race being canceled, including issues for drivers exiting the country. According to F1 journalist Chris Medland, multiple drivers and team members have clarified that this is not the case.

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will go on as planned Sunday despite the ongoing conflict in the country. 

Formula One confirmed it earlier on Friday; however, the drivers met for over four hours afterwards, finally leaving the paddock well past 2 a.m. in Jeddah. As of Friday evening ET, the drivers decided to race this weekend, per multiple reports. 

According to BBC Sport, multiple drivers had major concerns about moving ahead because of safety until they received more information from the bosses, but the race will go on as scheduled. 

Several miles away from the Jeddah street circuit, an Aramco oil depot went up in flames as a large plume of black smoke filled the air earlier in the day. It was visible from the track during the opening practice session. 

A spokesperson for the Houthis rebels in Yemen, who receive military and financial support from Iran, later claimed responsibility for the attack with missiles. According to The New York Times, the group said it also launched other targeted attacks on oil facilities, but state-run media in Saudi Arabia said only the one in Jeddah appeared to cause significant damage. 

Authorities reported no casualties occurred in the blaze, per ESPN. But Friday’s attack was not the first in the last week within Saudi Arabia.  

Second practice was delayed, but it later went on as planned. Drivers and team principals met with Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali to discuss the attacks; however, multiple drivers have concerns, per BBC. 

All 20 drivers participated in the second practice, and further discussions came afterward. As of 1 a.m. in Jeddah, the drivers were still talking. 

“We have received total assurance that the country’s safety is first,” Domenicali told reporters. “No matter what is the situation, safety has to be guaranteed.

“They are here with their families actually here at the track. So they have in place all the systems to protect this area, the city, the places where we are going. So we feel confident and we have to trust the local authority in that respect. Therefore of course we will go ahead with the event.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said, per ESPN, “We had meetings with high-level security and then we had meetings of course with the team principals, we had meetings with the drivers.

”Who are [the Houthis] targeting? They are targeting the infrastructure, the economic infrastructure, not the civilians and, of course, not at the track.

“We checked the facts from them and we have the assurance from high level that this is a secure place, the whole thing will be secure and let’s go on racing. For sure all the families are here. We are only looking forward but with an assurance that nothing is going to happen.”

But when asked whether the drivers were in agreement of the race occurring despite Friday’s events, Domenicali said, “They will be on track.” The team principals were on board, Mercedes’s Toto Wolff told Sky Sports. 

“It’s probably the safest place you can be in Saudi Arabia at the moment and that’s why we are racing.”

Red Bull principal Christian Horner also commented on the matter: “I think the sport has to stand together collectively. Any act of terrorism cannot be condoned and sport shouldn’t be bullied into a position—a situation like that just isn’t acceptable. Stefano and the president are dealing with it, there has been all of the assurances from the organizers and we’ll be going racing.”