F1 drivers hold late-night talks over Saudi Arabian GP after terrorist attack

Saudi Arabia drivers' meeting — Photo: © LAT Images

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

F1 drivers hold late-night talks over Saudi Arabian GP after terrorist attack

The drivers remain locked in discussion over whether the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix should continue

Sam Hall & Ian Parkes

Friday 25 March 2022 23:53 Updated: 00:10

F1 drivers have continued to debate whether to contest the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix into the early hours of the morning after a terrorist attack on a nearby oil depot on Friday.

Both practice sessions in Saudi Arabia took place with a backdrop of smoke and flames after Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a drone attack on the Aramco depot in Jeddah.

The depot is just 11 kilometres from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit that this weekend hosts F1 for only the second time.

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Following a pair of meetings between F1, the FIA and the teams and drivers, the sport's CEO, Stefano Domenicali, confirmed the Jeddah race would continue as planned.

Speaking after exiting the meeting, both Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and his Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff confirmed the agreement to press ahead had been "unanimous" among the teams.

However, it has become clear that whilst the teams are all prepared to race, this opinion is not shared by the drivers.

It is now increasingly obvious that despite the comments of Stefano Domenicali and Mohammed Ben Sulayem earlier that the #SaudiArabianGP would be going ahead, the drivers think otherwise and have serious safety reservations. Now 1.30am here in Jeddah pic.twitter.com/ZGX66cXyfe
— Ian Parkes (@ianparkesf1) March 25, 2022

Following the drivers' briefing, the 20 men remained in the meeting room with Domenicali and managing director Ross Brawn visiting.

All 10 team principals joined the meeting for a period with Mattia Binotto returning to the circuit from his hotel.

F1 team principals have left the meeting and have headed across to meet with Stefano Domenicali. Are we heading to a vote on whether the #SaudiArabianGP will go ahead? pic.twitter.com/9QJ0KPoDIs
— Ian Parkes (@ianparkesf1) March 25, 2022