Aramco ties with Formula 1 could see Saudi Arabia Grand Prix rescheduled
Aramco ties with Formula 1 could see the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, cancelled after the Iran conflict, rescheduled for later in the year.
Grands prix in both Bahrain and Saudi, which were scheduled for this month, were postponed following the outbreak of the conflict in the Gulf between the United States, Israel and Iran.
Formula 1 announced the news, stating that “Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix will not take place in April”, opening the door for the two races to be rescheduled.
A number of sources have told City PM that the kingdom is pushing for a spot on the calendar but ongoing uncertainty in the region is making that difficult.
But former Formula 1 driver Robert Doornbos told Dutch media that oil giant Aramco’s links with the Saudi Arabian race, held in Jeddah, could force the grand prix back onto the calendar at the end of the year.
Formula 1 back in Saudi Arabia?
The season concludes with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi but they follow a week on from Las Vegas so scheduling would be difficult. Formula 1 is understood to be monitoring the situation in both Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where Iranian retaliation has seen drones hit both of the Gulf nations.
“We know Aramco as the sponsor of Formula 1,” Doornbos said. “They are promoting the event in Jeddah enormously, because that is their gem. Jeddah could yet come back to the calendar this year.
“They now say that they are moving Abu Dhabi by a week and that they are slotting Jeddah in between.
“That means you finish the season with four races in a row – Las Vegas, Qatar, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi.”
City PM revealed earlier this year that the Iranian blockage of the Strait of Hormuz had left some team cargo stuck in Bahrain.
The Strait is used by shipping lanes to access Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE.