Checkered Flags, Green Lights, And Racing In Arabi.

With the recent prosperity of the motor racing culture in Saudi, the country has made momentous advancements in securing its place within the global racing community, with the hosting of racing events such as the Dariyah E-prix, the Dakar Rally and most notably the Formula One Grand Prix, with its second edition commencing in March 2022. Below is both a recap and sneak peak of recent and future racing events in Saudi.

Saudi Grand Prix

The Saudi Grand Prix is one of the most important events of the year due to its global significance. Formula 1 has been a very popular sporting event for decades and each season holds more and more significance, attracting more followers to this exciting sport.

This year, for the first time ever, Jeddah is hosting the F1 race in the newly built track on the city’s waterfront. The track is the second longest circuit after Stavelot in Belgium and has been awarded the fastest track, with 27 turns and an average speed of 250 kmph.

“Now that’s a street circuit!” -Aston Martin team via Twitter

Saudi E-Prix

Furthermore, in 2018, the E-Prix was hosted in Ad Diriyah for the first time ever as part of the 2018-2019 season, which marked Saudi Arabia a fierce competitor amongst other countries who have been hosting these racing events for years. The racing culture in Saudi has always been prominent, with the youth being heavily involved in Go-Karting from a young age, igniting the competitive characteristics found in Formula 1 drivers. Moreover, Saudi has marked its place in the world of racing by hosting the Dakar Rally, one of the most intense and difficult races in the world, which crosses through the desert for longer distances.

Dakar Rally

The Dakar Rally will be held from January 2nd until the 14th, and it will be crossing through the various deserts of Saudi, exploring the multiple different landscapes and terrains the country has to offer. The race is divided into vehicle categories such as bikes, quads, cars and trucks where they will compete on the roughest terrains of the world for an exciting and thrilling racing event.

This year, the Dakar Rally will kick off in Hail before reaching the Empty Quarter, which is usually the highlight of the race, then cross through the capital of Riyadh, before reaching the finish line in Jeddah.

With plenty of racing events set to take place in the country, the future is being shaped to give room for many more racing events to come within Saudi Arabia. This will hopefully ignite a larger interest within the youth of Saudi, motivating them to work towards participating in global racing events in the future. Perhaps, we will see a Saudi team or driver participating in Formula 1 soon.

Upcoming Racing Events

• Dakar Rally
  2-14 January 2022
• Diriyah E- Prix
  28 & 29 January 2022
• Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
  24-27 March 2022