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Will Saudi Arabia go through? Masi believes so

Will Saudi Arabia go through? Masi believes so

09-11-2021 15:02 Last update: 16:51

GPblog.com

The calendar seems pretty clear: there are four more races scheduled in 2021. Right? There is still that dark cloud over the circuit in Saudi Arabia, where the construction of the new street circuit is still not completed. Still, December 5 - the day of the Grand Prix - is fast approaching.

Still a lot of work to do

On a location directly at the Red Sea the fastest street circuit ever will be built, or so it is expected. Only, those who walk around there at the moment don't see much of a superspeed racetrack. The circuit is still under construction. People are working 24 hours a day to get everything done in time. "I was there a couple of weeks ago and obviously there is a lot going on there, there's a huge amount of work happening concurrently," Michael Masi of the FIA in Mexico told Motorsport.com. ""But we, the FIA and F1 are getting daily updates about where things are at, and it is progressing very, very quickly. So from when I was last there, yes, there is a lot to do. There is nothing to deny there, I think everyone will acknowledge there is a lot to do. But I am still confident of the race going ahead no problems."

For the championship, having to cancel the race at the last minute would be a huge embarrassment. So the thought is not that crazy that Masi would be worried. "I think there is always an element of worry with everything, but I am quite confident, having been involved in Korea in 2010, which was the last one that was talked about, and I think India was talked about, both of those went off no problems at all. So I am quite confident that Saudi will be exactly the same."

Core will be ready

A slick circuit, with all the trimmings, that's perhaps a little too much to ask of the Saudi organiser. There seems to be far too much work to be done for that. However, Masi is confident that the 'core elements' of the venue will be ready in time.