Formula 1 team bosses have explained their reasoning for agreeing to the continuation of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend.
On Friday, a Houthi missile attack struck an Aramco oil distribution plant roughly 10km from where the race is taking place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
That triggered uncertainty over whether the remaining two days of on-track action would take place, but after a gathering of race organisers, the FIA, F1 and team bosses, a unanimous call was made not to cancel.
“It was a good meeting,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told the gathered media. “The drivers are going to talk now in the drivers’ meeting.
“We, the team principals, have been assured that we are protected here. This is probably the safest place you can be in Saudi Arabia at the moment and that is why we are racing.”
Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner echoed the Austrian, stating that cancellation would be seen as a victory for the Houthis.
“I think the sport has to stand together collectively,” he said. “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 [Domenicali, F1 CEO] and the [FIA] president, they are dealing with it. There have been all the assurances from the organisers that we will be going racing.”
While all the bosses were satisfied, clearly the drivers were not as a marathon four-hour discussion of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association was held lasting well into the early hours of Saturday morning.
That led to Domenicali, F1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn and some team bosses returning to the track in what was a successful bid to address their safety concerns.
“We have received total assurances that, for the country, safety is first, no matter the situation – safety has to be guaranteed,” The Italian F1 boss said.
After another meeting with drivers and team bosses, Stefano Domenicali with a statement that F1 trusts in the local security and we’ll carry on with the event #F1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/HnzgwYr0bt
— Chris Medland (@ChrisMedlandF1) March 25, 2022
“They [local officials] are here with their families, actually here at the track, so they have in place all the systems to protect this area, the city and the places 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.”
Whether the assurances of security are all that Saudi pressed onto F1 though is unclear, with the BBC claiming drivers were warned of “the possible consequences of not racing, such as how easily teams and drivers would be able to leave the country if the race did not happen”.
So while the action is set to carry on in Jeddah, an uneasy weekend appears on the cards until the chequered flag falls on Sunday.
