The Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia will go as planned in two days, despite massive explosion which took place just a few miles from the track on the outskirts of Jeddah on Friday.
Formula 1 the bosses met with a number of racers and team officials, as well as with the Saudi delegation to discuss the issue immediately afterwards, and it was finally decided that the race should continue.
Drivers were offered guarantees of their safety after intense calls from fans to cancel the Grand Prix, among those present at the meeting, Lewis Hamilton and Max Ferstappen.
Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali told reporters that things would continue as usual, and FIA President Mohamed Ben Sulayem confirmed that they had received full guarantees of the safety of the Grand Prix, teams, their staff, drivers and families of Saudi security services.
Talking to Sky SportsRed Bull team leader Christian Horner said: “Sport should be together. Any act of terrorism should not be tolerated, and sport should not be mocked in a position. This situation is simply unacceptable.”
“Stefano and the president are doing it. There are all the assurances from the organizers and we will participate in the race.”
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Mercedes team director Toto Wolf added: “It was a good meeting. The pilots are going to talk at the drivers’ meeting. The team leaders assured that we are protected here and it is probably the safest place in Saudi Arabia at the moment.
“We’re racing. Was it a unanimous decision? Between team leaders, yes.”
The blast occurred when drivers finished their first workout earlier today, and a huge hell broke out at the state-controlled Aramco refinery, just a few miles away.
Unconfirmed reports say the blast was caused by the Yemeni Islamist group Hussein, which has carried out a series of similar attacks across the kingdom in recent months.
