Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis
Al-Qassam Brigades: A NIMR armored personnel carrier carrying an Israeli soldier was targeted with an Al-Yassin missile north of Khan Younis
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes

Are F1 drivers being threatened by Saudi authorities to race?

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Al Mayadeen Net
  • 26 Mar 2022 16:53
  • 2 Shares
5 Min Read

The Jeddah F1 race will go on, despite the drivers having concerns over being able to continue the race, but were convinced to race after they were told of "the possible consequences of not racing."

  • x
  • The drivers were eventually convinced to go ahead
    The drivers were eventually convinced to go ahead "after being given further information by bosses"

Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Formula 1 race will go ahead as planned following two series of meetings after the Ansar Allah's missile attack hit Aramco facilities in the cities. 

The drivers had spent four hours after Friday's practice discussing whether they would race or not. The meetings eventually lasted well into the night until 2:30 a.m, when the team bosses emerged saying there will be a race.

However, it seems that this isn't a case of the drivers voluntarily agreeing to race, as there are allegations of Saudi authorities twisting organizers' arms in order to force the teams into doing this. 

Before second practice, F1 president Stefano Domenicali had called the teams and drivers to a meeting, and told them the weekend's race would proceed as planned. Although the drivers were still concerned about racing under these circumstances, as they would not be able to fully concentrate and would remain stressed.

The meeting lasted for four hours, but they were eventually convinced to go ahead and race "after being given further information by bosses," according to BBC Sport.

Part of this information, according to BBC, was the "potential impact calling off the race might have - whether there could be delays in personnel or freight leaving the country."

Unfortunate "mechanical issues"

This brings to mind a 2019 incident, wherein WWE wrestlers taking part in events in Saudi Arabia, were placed in similar circumstances.

Back in November 2019, the WWE cut the live feed to a pay-per-view event being held in Saudi Arabia early, a move that angered Saudi Authorities.

WWE commentator Hugo Savinovish speculated on Facebook Live that this move was a retaliatory move by WWE CEO Vince McMahon due to KSA missing payments in hundreds of millions of dollars to the WWE. The federation denied the allegations when contacted by Forbes.

Related News

Saudi Aramco debt hits $24.6 billion as dividend cut fails to help

Saudi Aramco profits fall 12% as oil prices drop: FT

However, the next day, nearly 200 wrestlers and employees remained stuck in their plane on the tarmac for more than six hours, with the delay being blamed on "mechanical issues" that obstructed them from leaving Riyadh and caused them to miss a live show.

Dave Meltzer, a US sports journalist, tweeted: “Some notes since nobody can say anything. WWE had a problem in Saudi Arabia. Talent was not allowed to leave on their flight and most are still there. 20 people, 12 of which were talent, have left but the rest are still there.”

Meltzer told the radio station Wrestling Observer that tensions grew when military police were sent to the airport.

He added: “The talent felt they were hostages… nobody was harmed or anything like that. It’s a really tense story.”

In F1, Cash is king

F1 six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had once told those asking him why he thinks the Australian Grand Prix was going ahead amid Covid-19 concerns in March 2020, he famously said “Cash is king. I can’t add much more to it. I don’t feel like I should shy away from my opinion.” 

British racing champion Brad Philpot apparently shares Hamilton's outlook as well:

Have some courage and call the damn race off - and let this be a lesson to @F1 that they should avoid doing dodgy deals with countries who are not yet ready for international sport just because the money is attractive. #F1 #SaudiaArabiaGP

— Brad Philpot 🏎🏁 (@BradleyPhilpot) March 25, 2022

This "cash is king" attitude isn't exactly new to the Formula 1 scene. F1 organizers canceled the Russian Grand Prix as part of the recent campaign of Russo-phobia launched by the West. Not only that, but the Haas F1 team dropped Russian Fertilizer company Uralkali as its title sponsor, and Nikita Mazepin - whose father is a majority shareholder in Uralkali - was dropped as a driver. 

This was all amid called by F1 champion Max Verstappen's claims that when a country is at war then it's not right to race there. 

However, the sport's title sponsor is Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil company, whose branding is laid across every track. F1 organizers have also continuously ignored pleas from human rights groups to change circuits from those in Gulf countries. 

None of the drivers would dare mention the war on Yemen, despite countless massacres by the Saudi-led coalition, the latest of which took place on Saturday, in which 12 civilians were killed. In fact, the war on Yemen has just wrapped up its seventh year, with more than 17,000 civilians so far killed by the Saudi-led aggression's raids.

The fact that this race is being held is only testament to the importance Saudi Arabia's authorities give to sportswashing: the act of using sports to whitewash their image, or allow them to circumvent their atrocious human rights record, notably after recently conducting a mass execution of 81 citizens. From the Saudi Public Investment Fund (SPIF) spending billions to buy football teams, to its sponsorship of different kinds of sports events, from WWE to Formula 1, the Saudis seem to give this policy a high priority.

  • KSA
  • Saudi Arabia
  • F1
  • Formula 1
  • Jeddah
  • Aramco
  • Saudi Aramco

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS