Will the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix still go ahead or is it cancelled after a rocket attack on a fuel depot near the Jeddah Corniche Circuit?
Formula 1 is in Saudi Arabia and at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for a second time after December’s inaugural event.
The first practice session, as well as the Formula 2 practice and qualifying events took place in the aftermath of a rocket attack on an Aramco oil depot near the track.
A fire broke out at the depot, with thick smoke being seen as the F1 cars were out in FP1.
World champion Max Verstappen even smelt the smoke, and asked his Red Bull squad whether something was wrong with his RB18 machine.
Is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled after the rocket attack? How has F1 responded?
- EXPLAINED: How do you actually start a Formula 1 car – what do drivers do?
Is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled?
As things stand, as of 00:00 UTC on Saturday, March 26th, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has not been cancelled, and the rest of the weekend is scheduled to go ahead.
After second practice, the teams and drivers started a second meeting with F1 and the FIA.
That started at 22:00pm local time (19:00pm UK), and did not break up until four hours and 20 minutes later.
The drivers spent long periods alone in the room, discussing the situation among themselves.
Ross Brawn, Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem all visited the drivers as did their team principals – some of whom had left the track only to return.
After the meeting broke, Grand Prix Drivers Association director George Russell headed off to race control to meet with the team principals.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner explained that his team would “be racing.”
A statement from race organisers – Saudi Motorsport Company – said that they were in contact with the Saudi security services, and that “safety measures will continue to be implemented.”
Has F1 called races off before?
The 2021 Belgian Grand Prix was abandoned after just two laps behind the safety car due to torrential rain at Spa.
Officially, that race was not cancelled with Max Verstappen awarded a half-points win.
Prior to that, the 2020 Australian Grand Prix was called off and cancelled on the Friday morning as the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Some teams were pushing to run the weekend – canned hours before first practice was due to start.
In 1985, F1 cancelled the running of the Belgian Grand Prix half-way through the weekend, as the track broke up thanks to the heat.
It returned later in the year to complete qualifying and run the race.
- EXPLAINED: Where is Michael Masi now as FIA report into Abu Dhabi is released?
In other news, Here’s the WGC Match play prize money for 2022 event