On 25 March, the North Jeddah Bulk Plant owned by Saudi Aramco on the outskirts of Jeddah was attacked by drones and missiles, triggering a large fire. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack.[1] This attack is considered a turning point in the civil war which led to the Saudi coalition agreeing to a ceasefire with the Houthis.[2][3]
The attack is notable because it took place approximately 11 km (7 mi) from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where the 2022 Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was being held. Black smoke was visible from the circuit during the first practice session, with some drivers remarking on a "burning" smell in the car.[4] The second practice session was delayed by 15 minutes to allow for an emergency meeting between the drivers, team principals and Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali.[5] Despite the attack, Formula One and the organisers announced that the event would continue as planned.[6][7]
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association held a further meeting with the drivers at 22:00 local time; all drivers agreed to participate for the remainder of the event after four and a half hours of talks. According to the BBC, Formula One's management, staff, drivers & spectators were reassured over security and convinced to carry on the race weekend after being warned of "the consequences of not racing", which reportedly included potentially being denied exit visa to leave the country in the event of a boycott.[8]
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