JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia —
Saudi Arabia pledged maximum security to reassure rattled Formula One drivers
as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was set to go ahead despite an attack on an oil
facility nearby by Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
اضافة اعلان
The drivers revealed their concerns over the attack,
which sent black smoke billowing over the area and was part of a wave of
drone-and-missile assaults that triggered retaliatory air strikes on rebel
strongholds.
The
Iran-backed Huthi rebels fired on 16 targets
across Saudi Arabia as they mark seven years since the Saudi-led coalition
intervened in support of the government in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest
country.
The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of
people directly or indirectly and displaced millions, creating what the
UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Drivers including seven-time world champion Lewis
Hamilton have also expressed human rights concerns about racing in Saudi
Arabia, where 81 people were executed in a single day earlier this month.
After hours of
talks with the pilots, team principals and Saudi officials on Friday,
Formula One and governing body the FIA said it had received “assurances” that the race
in Jeddah can be held safely.
“Saudi government authorities and security agencies
... have given full and detailed assurances that the event is secure,” a joint
statement said.
“It has been agreed with all stakeholders to
maintain a clear and open dialogue throughout the event and for the future.”
‘Stressful day’
Regular media interviews
were canceled on Friday during the talks over the race’s future. But the
pilots’ union, the
Grand Prix Drivers Association, said it was a “difficult day
for
Formula One and a stressful day for us Formula One drivers”.
“Perhaps it is hard to comprehend if you have never
driven an F1 car on this fast and challenging
Jeddah track, but on seeing the
smoke from the incident it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver
and erase natural human concerns,” a statement said.
During “long discussions”, Saudi government
ministers “explained how security measures were elevated to the maximum” to
allow the race to go ahead, it added.
The attacks on targets including oil facilities, an
electrical station, and a water plant came as oil prices soar on supply fears
following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s biggest crude
exporters, has rebuffed calls to pump more oil in a bid to stabilize markets,
sticking instead to the steady increases agreed by the
OPEC+ oil alliance.
The US, Britain, and France were among the countries
to condemn Friday’s attacks, the latest in a series of similar assaults by the
Huthis.
The Saudi-led
coalition hit back with air strikes on Sanaa, Yemen’s rebel-held capital, and
the port city of Hodeidah, official Saudi media said. Rebel reports of
casualties could not immediately be confirmed.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix’s second edition will resume
with the final practice session ahead of qualifying at 17:00 GMT.
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