Formula 1 has said there are no doubts that the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix is going ahead as scheduled, despite initial concerns expressed by drivers.
Any boycott by drivers would have forced the event to be cancelled. In the end, the drivers were given enough assurance that the best course of action was to continue with the event rather than have it called off. It is understood that not all drivers were convinced about security at the venue in the wake of the attack, and expressed concerns about the event going ahead.
Formula 1's Saudi Arabian GP is set to go ahead despite concerns from drivers after an attack on an oil depot close to the Jeddah circuit.
They have never given any indication they would attack the Grand Prix itself of course but does it have to be considered a health and safety risk. What F1 have said though is that they have been in close contact with the relevant authorities over the situation, as they still continue to call it, today. "And to assure you that, they are targeting the infrastructure of the economy not the civilians and, of course, not the track. "Houthi rebels from Yemen have claimed responsibility for this, they did so soon after the event on a satellite news channel they run. "Formula One knew about the possibility of these rocket attacks before they came out here. "It all happened very quickly. "The race weekend schedule will continue as planned. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said: "It was a good meeting, the drivers are going to talk now at a drivers' meeting. We will of course go ahead with the event." Red Bull principal Christian Horner added: "I think the sport has to stand together collectively. "Consequently we went into long discussions between ourselves, with our team principals, and with the most senior people who run our sport. "Among those leading the conversations were the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Mick Schumacher as well.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has admitted Formula One drivers are not 100 per cent happy after Friday's attack 12 miles from the circuit.
“It was important for them to meet, discuss and raise their voice. “Perhaps it is hard to comprehend if you have never driven an F1 car on this fast and challenging Jeddah track, but on seeing the smoke from the incident it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns. Leaving the country would not have been the right choice. They are the stars of the sport and it is important they are listened to. “But we have had assurances from F1, the Saudi government, and the security agencies that everything is safe, and that needed to be explained to the drivers. “Certainly they are still concerned but they have listened to the assurances we gave them and they understand the importance to stay here, and try to race because that is the best choice we can make.
The drivers and teams report back on all the action from a busy Friday practice at the second race of the season, the Formula 1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2022 ...
We continued to work on the balance of the car in FP2 and did all the usual evaluation of the tyre compounds. We’re feeling a little bit more confident, but it’s all very close and we’re still lacking in many areas, so we’ll continue to work on some of the progress we’ve made, and see if we can get even more performance out of the car tomorrow.” It is a very high-speed circuit and an intense lap, more so than it can appear on TV. The team completed its programme, we made good use of the laps, and I feel I learned as much as I could out on track.” It was a good day of learning in that respect and the key will be to get the car in that sweet spot for the night race. There are still lots of things to work on at the moment, but we’ve been able to gather a lot of crucial data across both cars, which is still hugely important so that we can learn more about them and find a clearer direction to go with this car. I think that overall, we know what we have as a package and it’s up to us now to put it all together.” We sustained some damage in FP2 on the floor, so we haven’t shown our true pace yet, but we believe that we’re in the mix of the top 10 and I expect a very intense battle tomorrow amongst all the midfield teams. We know we’ve got some work to do but we’ll focus on improving the car for tomorrow and I think it could be quite an exciting race based on what we’ve seen today.” It will be important in qualifying to make sure we get the space for a clean lap because traffic can be a bit difficult around here so we need to make sure we are on it.” It’s definitely a little bit harder here with the high-speed corners but the grip is really good on the track and we just need to find some speed on the straights. Not only is it tough for the drivers, who have to be absolutely focused for the entire lap as there’s no room for any lapse in concentration at the wheel, but it’s also a good challenge for the engineers in setting the car up, managing things like traffic and communicating quickly to the drivers. It was difficult to get the lap in I needed to see exactly how we will perform over one lap here because I had a lot of traffic out there.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said it would have been wrong for Formula One's drivers to boycott Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and leave the ...
"In the end, we all came to the same conclusion that it is right to continue with the weekend after we got the assurances that we are safe here. "They explained very credibly what [security] was in place," Steiner added. "Leaving the country would simply not have been the right choice. Let's not forget, it's not just about drivers and the team principles, it's about 2000 team members of the F1 paddock here and we had to make the right decision together with F1 and the FIA, for all of us." "That was needed to be explained to the drivers, explained to them the situation, make them understand that we are safe and secured, and I think after long discussions, which is important to have in a transparent way, I think they understood and supported the fact that it is important to stay and remain in Saudi and drive for the weekend. "The concerns need to be translated into considerations and discussions, and as we as teams had assurance from F1 and from the Saudi government authorities and security agencies that everything would have been safe and under control.
Despite security concerns following a missile attack near the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Friday, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix goes ahead as planned this ...
It’s gutting, I got one point at least and we’ll work hard - we both got points for the team.” We just need to do it at a faster rate.” We checked the telemetry and our drivers slowed down under yellow flags.” It comes around.” We need to make some bigger leaps, I’m sure we can do that... “Wow, that was close, wow, unbelievable!"
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim responsibility for huge blaze days before F1 race is due to take place.
Saudi state television acknowledged attacks in the town of Dhahran targeting water tanks that damaged vehicles and homes. The second-ever Saudi Arabian grand prix in Jeddah is taking place on Sunday, though concerns had been raised by some over the recent attacks targeting the kingdom. The attacks came as Saudi Arabia still leads a coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital of Sana’a in September 2014.
Formula One says that its race in Saudi Arabia will be go ahead as scheduled this weekend despite attacks on the kingdom by Yemen's Houthis rebels.
An Associated Press photojournalist covering Friday’s first practice saw smoke rising in the distance to the east, just after 5:40 p.m. local time. The plant stores diesel, gasoline and jet fuel for use in the kingdom’s second-largest city. It caused a raging fire that rattled the drivers enough to hold extraordinary talks regarding F1's presence in Saudi Arabia. The plant is just southeast of the city’s international airport, a crucial hub for Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca. “Following the widely reported incident that took place in Jeddah on Friday, there has been extensive discussion between all stakeholders, the Saudi government authorities and security agencies who have given full and detailed assurances that the event is secure.” The 20 drivers on the grid met several times Friday night in talks that stretched well past 2 a.m. to discuss safety concerns.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has admitted Formula One drivers are not 100 per cent happy after Friday's attack 12 miles from the circuit.
“It was important for them to meet, discuss and raise their voice. “Perhaps it is hard to comprehend if you have never driven an F1 car on this fast and challenging Jeddah track, but on seeing the smoke from the incident it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns. Leaving the country would not have been the right choice. They are the stars of the sport and it is important they are listened to. “But we have had assurances from F1, the Saudi government, and the security agencies that everything is safe, and that needed to be explained to the drivers. “Certainly they are still concerned but they have listened to the assurances we gave them and they understand the importance to stay here, and try to race because that is the best choice we can make.
A missile attack close to the Jeddah track had caused concern, however it has been confirmed that the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix will go ahead.
A statement from Formula 1 confirmed that they had been in ‘close contact’ with the ‘relevant authorities’ in order to get the go ahead. We've checked the facts and we've got assurances from the highest level that this is a secure place. This weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will go ahead as planned, after extensive talks between organisers and drivers went on long through the night.
Organisers the Saudi Motorsport Company said that the race would take place on Sunday despite drivers expressing their concerns in four-hour meeting.
It is 2022 and it is easy to make changes.” Hamilton has attempted to ensure he is aware of human rights issues and has met representatives from some of the countries involved in an attempt to effect change. “We don’t decide where we go to race in Formula One, but while it is not necessarily our responsibility, we are duty-bound to try and do what we can.” “Ultimately, it is the responsibility of those who are in power to really make the changes and we are not really seeing enough, we need to see more,” he said. “It is hard to comprehend if you have never driven an F1 car on this fast and challenging Jeddah track, but on seeing the smoke from the incident it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns,” the statement said. The Houthi rebels, who have been embroiled in war with a Saudi-led coalition for seven years, claimed to have carried it out, with Saudi state media saying the coalition had foiled a string of Houthi drone and rocket attacks.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has admitted Formula One drivers are not 100 per cent happy after Friday's attack 12 miles from the circuit.
“It was important for them to meet, discuss and raise their voice. “Perhaps it is hard to comprehend if you have never driven an F1 car on this fast and challenging Jeddah track, but on seeing the smoke from the incident it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns. Leaving the country would not have been the right choice. They are the stars of the sport and it is important they are listened to. “But we have had assurances from F1, the Saudi government, and the security agencies that everything is safe, and that needed to be explained to the drivers. “Certainly they are still concerned but they have listened to the assurances we gave them and they understand the importance to stay here, and try to race because that is the best choice we can make.
Saudi Arabia pledged maximum security to reassure rattled Formula One drivers as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was set to go ahead despite an attack on an ...
Rebel reports of casualties could not immediately be confirmed. Regular media interviews were cancelled on Friday during the talks over the race's future. But the pilots' union, the Grand Prix Drivers Association, said it was a "difficult day for Formula One and a stressful day for us Formula One drivers".
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will still go ahead this weekend following the "attack", Formula One has confirmed.
An F1 spokesperson said: "Formula One has been in close contact with the relevant authorities following the situation that took place today. A statement from the Saudi Motorsport Company added: "We are aware of the attack on the Aramco Distribution Station in Jeddah earlier this afternoon and remain in direct contract with the Saudi security authorities as well as F1 and the FIA to ensure all necessary security and safety measures continue to be implemented to guarantee the safety of all visitors to the grand prix as well as drivers, teams and stakeholders. The authorities have confirmed that the event can continue as planned and we will remain in close contact with them and all the teams."
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend has begun as Charles Leclerc looks to make it two races from two to start his 2022 season.
He would end the session in fifth, just ahead of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell. - Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1:30.886 - George Russell (Mercedes) 1:30.664 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:30.513 - Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1:30.320 - Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:30.074
The Saudis have signaled a willingness to negotiate but won't cede Yemen to the Houthis for the same reason now–Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman intervened in ...
Riyadh has actively sought to negotiate a ceasefire to end the Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. The Houthis are savvy enough to signal interest in talks, seeing the opportunity to extract concessions to secure even their participation in the engagements. Iran and Hezbollah have since transferred expertise for the indigenous production of land mines and small drones, which the Houthis have used domestically against opposing forces in the civil war, and smuggled advanced weaponry to the Houthis that has greatly expanded the scope of Yemen’s conflict. The Houthis’ potential range extends to Israel, creating the possibility of a regional escalation as tensions with Iran rise. The Saudis have signaled a willingness to negotiate but won’t cede Yemen to the Houthis for the same reason now–Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman intervened in the first place: Iran. The Saudi role in exacerbating Yemen’s humanitarian crisis has hurt the kingdom’s image and added to the growing distance between the United States and its Gulf partner.
Lewis Hamilton on Friday again used the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to spotlight the country's record on rights, adding that he had heard "mind-blowing" ...
We need to move fast forward as fast as we can." But, ultimately, it is the responsibility of those that are in power to really make the changes and we are not really seeing enough. We're just trying to work as hard as we can to rectify them as quick as possible. "It is obviously mind-blowing to hear the stories," Hamilton said. "I think it is important we try to educate ourselves and with a little bit of difference, we can try to make sure we are doing something. It is not necessarily our responsibility, but we try and do what we can."
F1 heads to Jeddah for the second race of the 2022 season this weekend, with the Saudi Arabian GP taking place weeks after the kingdom carried out 81 executions ...
"It is, naturally, a very very complex situation," he said. "I think there is a positive impact we can have by coming here. His family have pleaded with Hamilton to intervene. "It's obviously mind-blowing to hear the stories. 14! You don't know what the hell you're doing in life." So we need to see more."
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time F1 champion who has also been an outspoken activist, said Friday the responsibility for holding the kingdom to account shouldn't ...
“We’re aware of some of the situations when we come here,” he said. I think for now the best thing is to remain open-minded,” the McLaren driver said. Saudi Arabia is one of several countries that has been accused of “sportswashing” human rights abuses by using high-profile sporting events to project a favorable image. “It’s obviously mind-blowing to hear the stories. “So we need to see more.” But I’m always open to having a discussion, to learning more, to try to understand why the things that are happening are happening,” Hamilton said.
Watch the highlights from second practice at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – which saw Charles Leclerc again set the fastest time before his session ...
HIGHLIGHTS: Relive the first practice session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz was a further two-tenths back in third place, just ahead of Red Bull driver Sergio Perez in fourth. HIGHLIGHTS: Enjoy the best action from FP2 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc topped Friday practice for Ferrari at the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Here's how and when to watch qualifying.
For the entire 2022 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.98 or a monthly membership of £33.99 per month. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.
Charles Leclerc pipped Max Verstappen to the fastest time in second practice ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP, but may have lost crucial time after damaging ...
5pm: SAUDI ARABIAN GP QUALIFYING 8pm: Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying hits 9.30pm: Saudi Arabian GP Highlights That followed his team-mate Pierre Gasly's retirement from the Bahrain GP with a potentially similar issue. Meanwhile, Alpine produced a solid showing after being forced to change Fernando Alonso's engine ahead of Friday's first session due a "suspected sealing issue", with the Spaniard 11th and his team-mate Esteban Ocon eighth. 4pm: Saudi Arabian GP Qualifying build-up However, team-mate Daniel Ricciardo was unable to match that pace, 0.8s off the Brit in 15th. 1.45pm: Saudi Arabian GP Practice Three (session starts 2pm) Sainz, who along with the Red Bulls set his best time on the medium tyre, was third, ahead of Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez in fourth. "I think Charles Leclerc, though, has that little edge when it comes down to qualifying and Ferrari might just have that edge." Saudi Arabian GP Practice One Timesheet Follow the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sky Sports
A fire erupted at an oil depot in Jeddah on Friday ahead of the F1 Grand Prix race scheduled to take place in the Saudi Arabian city, with Yemen's Houthis ...
They have never given any indication they would attack the Grand Prix itself of course but does it have to be considered a health and safety risk. What F1 have said though is that they have been in close contact with the relevant authorities over the situation, as they still continue to call it, today. "Houthi rebels from Yemen have claimed responsibility for this, they did so soon after the event on a satellite news channel they run. "Formula One knew about the possibility of these rocket attacks before they came out here. "And to assure you that, they are targeting the infrastructure of the economy not the civilians and, of course, not the track. "It all happened very quickly. "The race weekend schedule will continue as planned. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said: "It was a good meeting, the drivers are going to talk now at a drivers' meeting. Red Bull principal Christian Horner added: "I think the sport has to stand together collectively. We will of course go ahead with the event." The report provided no further details. [It was a unanimous decision] By the team principals, yes."
The first F1 practice session in Saudi Arabia was rocked by an explosion at a nearby petrol facility, believed to be a missile attack, and there are ...
Photos and videos from the scene of the fire show the flames high in the air, after what is believed to have been a missile attack. Meanwhile, flights heading into the city are being told either to remain in the air outside of its airspace, or have been re-routed to other airports. During the first practice session ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, a loud blast could be heard in Jeddah before a fire broke out at an Aramco facility just a few miles away.
Online videos show a raging fire at an oil depot in the Saudi city of Jeddah, ahead of the Saudi Grand Prix.
The North Jeddah Bulk Plant stores diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel for use in Jeddah, the kingdom's second-largest city. due to fumes from the blaze, Sky Sports reported. Yemen's Houthi rebels struck an oil depot in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Friday in a missile attack that caused a large fire and left clouds of black smoke hanging over the port city.