Saudi Arabia building full circuit for GP

(GMM) Saudi Arabia’s new Formula 1 race will only temporarily take place on a Jeddah street circuit.

The controversial Arab kingdom is joining the F1 calendar this December, with Prince Khalid telling the Telegram page Cross Country Rally that Saudi Arabia is “working with (Hermann Tilke) and Formula 1 to design the fastest city circuit”.

“I can promise you that the street racing in Saudi Arabia will not be standard,” said the Prince, who is part of Saudi Arabia’s founding family.

“Some city tracks are not very exciting,” he added. “There is no great overtaking opportunity and it can be boring.

“So our idea is to build a big project, a big city for motorsport. We plan to complete it by the end of 2023, with everything ready in 2024.

“But the Crown Prince thought that 2024 is too far away, so we thought the street track would be an option until we complete the circuit. It will be exciting and there will be a lot of overtaking,” Prince Khalid said.