Saudi Arabia on safety in F1 after missile attack: 'Nowhere is really safe'

Saudi Arabia's sports minister says he met with drivers and Formula 1 bosses to discuss safety concerns around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit after a missile attack overshadowed this year's race in Jeddah.

Safety concerns in Jeddah

Houthi rebels in Yemen hit an oil depot about 15 kilometres east of the Jeddah circuit in March. The missile attack caused a historic moment in F1, as after bosses decided there was no cause for concern, ignoring the opinion of the drivers, it almost came to a boycott. The drivers deliberated late into the night and eventually decided to race, but made a strong statement with the hours-long meeting.

Following this, it was acknowledged that some things needed to be discussed about safety around the circuit. "We met personally with all the team principals and I met personally with all the drivers," Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal told Reuters. "We spoke about all of these issues and we had open dialogue with them now."

While acknowledging safety concerns, the prince stressed that nowhere in the world is completely safe. As an example, he cited the protesters who entered the Silverstone circuit during this year's race. "If you look at the world today there is chaos happening everywhere and we need to fight through that," Prince Al-Faisal said.