With just one month left before the start of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the organizers are planning another eventful weekend, ensuring that the race will be the most fun and exciting yet. The world’s longest and fastest street circuit is due to host this year’s Formula 1 race on the weekend of March 17-19, 2023, when the public at Jeddah’s Corniche circuit will have an unforgettable weekend. Speaking ahead of this year’s race, he affirmed His Royal HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Motor Sports Federation and Saudi Motorsports, said the public will enjoy a weekend full of racing excitement as well as three days of unforgettable entertainment. events, including concerts. He is hailed by some of the world’s brightest music and singing stars as this year’s Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix features world-class stars such as Calvin Harris, Travis Scott, DJ Afrojack and Egyptian star Ahmed Saad.
His Highness added: “We are looking forward to another fun race weekend this year, one month from now. We have continued to work after the last two races to improve the spectator experience and make it a more enjoyable experience so that thousands of those who attend the race will have an unparalleled experience that will suit everyone at the Jeddah Corniche circuit.” Whether it’s the thrill of racing on the world’s fastest street circuit, family-friendly spectator areas, or world-class live entertainment.”
The Jeddah Corniche circuit will host the second round of this year’s F1 World Championship as it is the third race at the amazing circuit in less than 16 months, continuing a long-term partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. and Formula One, which began with Saudi Airlines’ sponsorship of the Williams team in 1978 prior to the Grand Prix, and the march continues to create a promising future with ambitious plans to modernize the motorsports sector in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia.
And HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal continued: “When I was young, I was very proud when I saw the name of a Saudi company in a prestigious international sport like Formula 1. The relationship between Saudi Airlines and the Williams team got stronger until we had a Formula 1 race and now we see more Saudi companies entering Formula 1 such as Aramco with Aston Martin and Neum with McLaren. In the future, I expect these relationships to flourish to play a more important role. role so that we can create a private Saudi F1 team or a Saudi F1 driver in the future.
One month before the start of the 2023 Saudi Formula 1 Grand Prix… How are you planning the third race? And what can the public expect?
We are ready for another unforgettable weekend as, in addition to the main event, we will also host Formula 2 Support Races, the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East and the Saudi Supercar Club Show. While we always strive to improve the spectator experience at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, this year’s spectator seating will be bigger and better, with a wide range of entertainment activities to suit the whole family, in addition to an outstanding concert program. , which this year attracts some of the world’s brightest music and singing stars such as Calvin Harris, Travis Scott, DJ Afrojack and Egyptian superstar Ahmed Saad.
Jeddah Corniche has always had high expectations for the fans and in the first two races we learned a lot about how to make the experience better and more enjoyable. So when they take part in this year’s Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, they will not only experience the excitement of a race, but also a comprehensive sports and entertainment event for three days of joy, entertainment and excitement.
The original plan was to build Jeddah Corniche Circuit as a temporary location for a short period, but now it appears to be a permanent location. How important is the highway as the main part of the city’s infrastructure?
This is definitely a big deal, we all understand that this race will move elsewhere in the future, but we have invested a lot in this Corniche area and we have a feeling that this is a permanent facility that can continue in the long term, this The track is amazing and it will be hard to leave Jeddah if we can’t provide an even better racing experience for riders and the public.
The same goes for any other motorsport event, be it Formula E, the Saudi Dakar Rally or Extreme E, we invest heavily and this event should deliver an unforgettable experience for everyone.
How important is Formula One racing in terms of its legacy to the city of Jeddah and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a whole?
Formula 1 is a global event that is of great importance to us. The city has benefited a lot from this, such as the excellent location of the land on which the track was built, on the Red Sea, where we have worked on the development of the surrounding area, so that this area is now filled with a marina. area, as well as the Corniche area, which includes many restaurants and cafes and has become an outlet for the community. And this is part of the heritage that we offer to the city of Jeddah.
We have also continued our efforts to inspire the youth, the local community and Saudi companies and enable them to participate in this remarkable transformation which has contributed to the creation of many jobs as many are now working in the Formula 1 project.
We have also established the Saudi Motorsports Company to manage and organize major global events such as Formula 1 in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program to inspire people and open them up to new career opportunities. We want to inspire more young people to pursue careers as engineers and team managers, to get companies involved in motorsport, to make cars here and to get more people into the sector. It all goes back to the Jeddah Corniche and running a Formula 1 race, and it’s a lasting legacy we’ve built.
It is fair to say that the relationship between Formula 1 and Saudi Arabia began over 40 years ago. Did it inspire you then?
We have a long history with motorsport as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was the first country in the Middle East to compete in Formula 1.
It goes back to a sponsorship deal with Williams in 1978 and indeed I remember when I was very young watching Formula 1 and seeing the Saudi Arabian Airlines logo on the Williams team cars, that was my inspiration and that was one of the factors that attracted me to motorsport.
At that time, I felt a great sense of pride when I saw my country and the name of a Saudi company at such a prestigious world event as Formula 1.
This is what inspired me to work so closely with Formula 1, and I am pleased to see a lot of progress in this journey over the past 40 years. This legacy that led us to run the race may one day expand to create a private Saudi Formula 1 team. Today we see more Saudi companies partnering with Formula 1 and teams such as Aramco with Aston Martin and Neum with McLaren. so I expect our relationship to grow to play a bigger role in the future.
Do you think the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix can inspire the younger generation of Saudi Arabia to work in motorsport, as it did for you?
Yes indeed, it all started with my 1978 Williams car. As for anyone who comes to the Jeddah Corniche circuit to watch a race, I think seeing the cars and drivers up close can motivate them to be part of a team of marshals or mechanics or engineers, or members of the medical team, or the organizing committee, and maybe the drivers one day.
Certainly hosting a Formula 1 race and giving people the opportunity to get behind the scenes and get a closer look at the event will have a big impact on them, and the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation and the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Company hope to benefit from this and in line with our plans for the future.
What are your long-term plans for the development of the motorsport sector in the Kingdom, what is your vision?
We are investing in new racetracks, major infrastructure and new cities, as well as opening new factories for Sir and Lucid, and partnering with NEOM and McLaren as we strive to make Saudi Arabia a hub for motorsports and help attract teams to open. This benefits our big companies. such as Aramco. We started in 1978 with team sponsorship, now we need to think about the next steps, whether it be a joint venture or a partnership.
Our vision is to develop technology in schools and supply manufacturers with materials and building parts so that cars can be assembled here. It could also be investments in synthetic fuels, biofuels or even hydrogen or other technologies that we can help with in the future.
We are also aiming to have a Saudi Champion, a driver capable of winning international races. We have a lot of interest in motorsport and we are working towards big plans and we want to contribute by playing an active role in the future of this sport and in 10-20 years we hope to see the participation of the Kingdom, Saudi companies and other people in Formula 1.
Finally, what do you say to those who have not yet received a ticket to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix of Formula 1 this year?
Nowhere else will you bring together the best racers in the world like in this exciting race. The race features great champions such as Lewis Hamilton, who is aiming to set a record by taking his eighth world title and beating Michael Schumacher. As well as an ambitious young man with a thirst for victory, Max Verstappen, who is looking to build his professional career and achieve even greater achievements and compete with Hamilton as the best driver in this sport. But it’s not just them, the level of dedication of all 20 riders and their 10 teams is amazing.
We are giving you the perfect opportunity to be part of one of the most exciting and popular sports in the world right now. Visitors to Jeddah can also enjoy concerts, entertainment, Formula 1 auditoriums and visit the city’s restaurants and hotels on the picturesque Corniche. In addition, the Jeddah Corniche circuit is the longest and fastest street circuit in Formula 1 and there is always a lot of excitement on the track, so I invite you not to miss this important event.