Rosberg X Racing secure back-to-back victories at Island X Prix

JEDDAH: The 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar, which was unveiled on Wednesday, revealed that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will return to Jeddah, home of the world’s fastest street circuit, from March 7 to 9 next year.

The top motorsport competition’s fourth visit to the Kingdom will differ slightly from the normal weekend format established over the past three years, as the main race will take place on Saturday night instead of Sunday. This is to avoid the possibility of a clash with the start of the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin the following week.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, said: “Everyone at (both organizations) is thrilled to welcome F1 back to Jeddah for the fourth edition of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix next March 7 to 9.

“The Jeddah Corniche Circuit continues to prove itself to be one of the most exciting and challenging tracks on the F1 calendar, with our previous three races serving up consistently excellent, adrenaline-fueled racing.”

According to the provisional 2024 F1 calendar, the Jeddah race will once again be the second of the season, which means all drivers will still have everything to play for as they race under the lights on the shores of the Red Sea.

The thrilling Jeddah Corniche Circuit — the fastest and longest street track in the world — has quickly established itself as one of the most exhilarating venues on the F1 schedule, and fans will be eagerly awaiting another chance to watch the best drivers in the world go wheel-to-wheel at average speeds of up to 252 km/h.

Last year’s Jeddah Grand Prix proved to be another spectacular occasion, with Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez crossing the finish line first after 50 thrilling laps in front of a bumper crowd of more than 140,000 spectators. The three races in Jeddah so far have produced three different winners, with Lewis Hamilton victorious in the inaugural race in 2021, followed by Max Verstappen in 2022. Time will tell whether one of them can win for a second time in the Kingdom, or they are joined by another first-time winner of the event.

The F1 weekend fun in Jeddah will not be limited to the racing, as the organizers plan once again to deliver a wide-ranging line up of entertainment that will include live music from top international acts.

“Beyond the action on the track, we are working hard to deliver another three days of non-stop entertainment for the whole family, with some of the biggest names in music expected to return to our main stage once again,” said Prince Khalid.

“The Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is an event that caters for everyone and we can’t wait to welcome F1 teams, drivers and fans back to Jeddah once more in 2024.”