March 26, (THEWILL) – Despite security worries following a missile assault near the Jeddah track, Formula One drivers say they agreed to participate in Saudi Arabia this weekend.
Following four hours of negotiations between drivers and top figures, the race will be held on Sunday, as scheduled, based on a decision arrived at at 2:30 p.m. local time.
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) said it had been “difficult to erase natural concerns” in a statement after their meeting. But, the F1 executives and Saudi government ministers reassured them of everyone’s safety.
A missile assault on an oil facility nine miles from the circuit made the drivers undecided about racing at the end of an unusual day in Jeddah. An hour after second practice ended, drivers began debating whether to race and remained in the room as various senior executives came and went.
A statement from the GPDA admitted that it was “a difficult day for Formula 1 and a stressful day for us F1 drivers” in a statement on Saturday.
It went on to say: “On seeing the smoke from the incident, it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns.
“Consequently we went into long discussions between ourselves, with our team principals, and with the most senior people who run our sport.
“A large variety of opinions were shared and debated and, having listened not only to the F1 powers but also to the Saudi government ministers – who explained how security measures were being elevated to the maximum – the outcome was a resolution that we would practise and qualify today and race tomorrow.
“We therefore hope that the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be remembered as a good race rather than for the incident that took place yesterday.”
Of the incident itself, a F1 statement assured the safety of all saying: “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.
“It has been agreed with all stakeholders to maintain a clear and open dialogue throughout the event and for the future.”
The sequence of talks to discuss the event at the oil plant started before second practice, which was delayed by 15 minutes after the attack because team leaders and drivers were summoned to a meeting with Formula One president Stefano Domenicali.
After the second practice, a second meeting with top figures began and lasted into the early hours of the morning. After receiving additional information from their superiors, the drivers were eventually persuaded to proceed with the race, which they agreed to do.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
