After successfully hosting a Grand Prix and sponsoring various teams, Saudi Arabia is now considering the next logical step: owning its own Formula 1 team. This was confirmed by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, who is also the chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation. It is clear that the Arabs want to play a lasting role in the premier class in the long term.
An Arab Formula 1 team? “It could happen, especially given the rapid growth of the sport,” said Prince Khalid in a video call with several motorsport reporters. “There is room on the grid anyway – there will be eleven teams and a maximum of twelve spots. In addition, teams may be for sale in the future. That being said, you buy a Formula 1 team to make money these days, especially if it is bought by the PIF (the national investment fund of Saudi Arabia).”
The prince emphasized that there is serious interest within the kingdom to own a team: “We already organize a Grand Prix and sponsor teams. So I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an announcement of a Saudi team soon.” Saudi Arabia has already invested heavily in the sport in recent years. Oil giant Aramco is a global partner of Formula 1 and also the title sponsor of Aston Martin.
Middle East as a Formula 1 Hotspot
The Middle East has taken on an increasingly prominent role on the Formula 1 calendar in recent years. Four of the 24 races are held in this region, and several countries already have strong ties with existing teams. Recently, the Qatari investment fund took a stake in the future Audi team. The question is whether Saudi Arabia is interested in an existing team, or rather wants to enter Formula 1 with its own racing stable.
“Personally, I would like to see a Saudi team,” said Prince Khalid. “But if Saudi Arabia or a Saudi company joins an existing team, I hope they do it the right way – and are successful. It’s not an easy matter, but why couldn’t it be possible?”, he rhetorically asked. With the construction of the new Qiddiya circuit – a futuristic mega-project unparalleled in its scale – Saudi Arabia has already proven its long-term commitment to Formula 1. In the future, the Arab country also wants to host the season opener.
“We would like to be the first on the calendar,” concluded Prince Khalid. “It has everything to do with the weather – it’s simply too hot here in the middle of the season. Additionally, it’s better for sales to start the season. People are more enthusiastic then.” Whether a Saudi team will actually appear on the grid will have to be seen in the future – but the intentions are there, and so are the means.
An impression of the new Qiddiya circuit – corners on apartment buildings, seven kilometers of asphalt, twenty-one turns, and elevation changes of one hundred and eight meters (Qiddiya Media)
