Last Updated on February 15 2024, 3:11 pm
Latest F1 ‘at risk’ as Middle Eastern tensions rocket. Less than two years ago, Formula One was on high alert following an explosion at an oil refinery just miles from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit which hosts the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The shocking incident was blamed on Houthi rebels from nearby Yemen who were fighting the Saudi military for control of the country.
The rockets fired sent dramatic flames and smoke into the night sky which was visible from the Formula One drivers’ cockpits who demanded an emergency meeting with the FIA.
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The explosion occurred during Friday practice for the Grand Prix as a nearby refinery caught fire following the attack. The facility is owned by Aramco, the biggest sponsor of the Aston Martin F1 team and was situated near the airport which the teams used to fly into the country.
A spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack which was said to have been caused by a missile strike and/or suicide drones, as continued retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s heavy involvement in the grinding Yemen Civil War, which had then stretched on for seven years now and killed tens of thousands of people.
Saudi officials later confirmed the “hostile operation” by the Houthis which worryingly involved a missile with a substantial range, according to AP.
“The Houthis have the capability via long-range ‘kamikaze’ drones and missile capabilities to hit targets in Jeddah and have done so before,” commented the Editor-in-Chief of ‘The War Zone.’ “This is entirely within their capabilities and there is an operational precedent. Doing it during or before a very high-profile event also makes sense.”
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F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali called an emergency meeting with th eF1 team principal’s and drivers briefing them on the latest front the local authorities. The second practice session was delayed although the rest of the weekend continued without further interruption, but media sessions were cancelled. The Saudi Authorities promised heightened security for the F1 teams and “we feel safe,” was the comment of Stefano Domenicali.
The Iran backed Houthi rebels had also claimed responsibility for launching a missile at Riyadh during the 2021 Formula E race held within the city, so their opportunism to attack an international sporting event held in the region to highlight their cause is well known.
In recent weeks the relatively small band of Houthi militia have taken on the world by attacking cargo ships travelling through narrow straights on their way to the Suez Canal. Despite the might of the US and British Navy amongst others arriving in the region the terrorists have been successful in hitting a number of vessels and causing damage.
The bold attacks suggest the Houthi’s have received an upgrade in military support and equipment from Iran and concerns now turn to the up coming Formula One events taking place in the region.
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Saudi sponsored Aston Martin’s team principal Mike Krack now seeks to play down concerns that there might be risks associated with the opening two races of the season upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
“We have been in touch with F1 and their security advisors,” Krack told assembled media. “There is no real concerns to go and race in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. We have to trust F1 and their advisors in this regard.”
Yet Krack’s comments do not convey absolute confidence and suggest there is “risk” in going to the region, given his reference to the F1 team’s having no choice in the matter.
“We are contracted to the championship and to race where they take us to and that is what we are doing,” concluded the Aston team boss.
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F1 bows to Saudi demands
This season Formula One has unusually scheduled its first two Grand Prix on Saturday’s with the each weekend’s practice sessions beginning a day early one Thursday. This is due to the timing of his year’s Muslim festival of Ramadan which rotates around the calendar year by year.
Ramadan commences on Sunday March 10th and so race two on the F1 calendar in Saudi will be completed by Saturday 9th. Given F1 has raced in the Middle East for 20 years since the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix of 2024, it is somewhat surprising it is only now that scheduling becomes affected by Ramadan.
Some believe the relatively low profile religious nature of the UAE and Bahrain societies have meant concessions for Ramadan have never been requested. Saudi Arabia on the other hand is known for its prominent combination of the Muslim faith within all aspects of society and since Formula One has visited the country, this is the first time Ramadan has fallen on a race weekend.
Formula One has been criticised for its increased commitment to racing in the Middle East and in particular in countries where the societies can be extreme in their repression of certain minorities.
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UK Members of Parliament have previously expressed “grave concerns” to FIA and Formula 1 bosses over their role in “sportswashing”, particularly directed at connections with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
In a letter addressed to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and FIA single-seater chief Nikolas Tombazis, the MPs cite the execution of 81 prisoners in Saudi Arabia in one day in 2022.
Further they note Bahrain has the highest imprisonment rate of its population of any country in the Middle East and North Africa territory, with an estimated 1300 political prisoners.
The MP’s “condemn F1’s refusal to engage with key stakeholders including human rights groups, such as the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy when awarding Bahrain the longest contract in F1 history [until 2036], breaching F1’s own policy”.
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In response the FIA stated in a communique, ”At the pinnacle of motorsport, F1 events take place across a huge spectrum of different countries and cultures around the world.
“It is our belief that the most fundamental goal of motorsport, and all sport, is founded on the desire to increase our common ground and cultivate the principles of cooperation and commonality between people.
“The FIA, as is the case with other international sporting federations, cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.”
Yet by bowing to Saudi pressure to ensure their Grand Prix is not held on the opening day of Ramadan, F1 and the FIA have conceded ground and gained nothing tangible in return for this extra-ordinary scheduling. The sport does not consider other religious festivals when formulating the annual calendar which is what makes this concession even more strange.
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Ramadan is not a regular holiday. It is a solemn month where Moslems can nor eat or drink during daylight hours. They wake up before Sunrise, have a meal and then go back to sleep. Then they can eat again ate sunset. Still it is very devout and I can understand why they would not want a race during this month. It doesn’t just move a few days every year like YomKippur. The last time I was in Pakistan during Ramadan it was in November.