"After discussions with all the teams and drivers (which lasted late into the night from Friday to Saturday, editor's note), the Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix will continue as planned", specify the Formula 1 promoter and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in a press release.

The drivers, who remained silent after this meeting, expressed on Saturday morning their "resolve to participate in practice and qualifying today and the race tomorrow."

The team bosses will therefore hold their usual press conference at 2.30 p.m. local (12.30 p.m. French), before the third free practice session at 5 p.m. (3 p.m.) then the qualifications at 8 p.m. (6 p.m.).

The race will follow on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m.).

“Extensive discussions were held between stakeholders, Saudi government authorities and agencies responsible for security who gave full and detailed assurances on the security of the event,” add Formula 1 and the FIA.

The attack on the Jeddah oil site is among 16 claimed by the Houthis on Friday, on the eve of the seventh anniversary of the intervention of the military coalition led by Riyadh in Yemen to support the government against rebels close to Iran.

Monegasque Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc during the second practice session of the Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix in Jeddah on March 25, 2022 ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

In retaliation, the coalition carried out airstrikes in Yemen from Friday night to Saturday, in Sanaa and Hodeidah, cities held by the rebels, according to the official Saudi agency SPA.

"Maximum security measures"

The attack in Jeddah caused a gigantic fire and a cloud of black smoke visible from the circuit during free practice 1 at 17:00 local time (15:00 French time) and the second free practice session was delayed by 15 minutes.

Smoke and flames rise from the Saudi Aramco oil site in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 25, 2022, following an attack by Yemeni rebels - AFP

"It might be hard to understand if you've never driven an F1 on the fast and difficult Jeddah circuit, but seeing the smoke from the incident made it difficult to remain a fully focused racing driver and erase natural human concerns," the pilots said in their reaction published via their union, the GPDA.

"A wide variety of opinions were shared and debated and, after hearing from F1 officials but also the Saudi government explaining to us how safety measures were raised to the maximum, the result was the resolution to participate in testing. and qualifying today and the race tomorrow."

"So we hope that the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP will be remembered as a great race rather than the incident that happened yesterday (Friday)," the drivers conclude.

Just after free practice 2 on Friday evening, the championship organizers announced that the GP would be maintained despite this attack.

Red Bull's Mexican driver Sergio Perez during the second practice session of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on March 25, 2022 in Jeddah ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP

But only Red Bull's Mexican driver Sergio Pérez broke the silence after the meeting ended around 2:20 a.m. local time (12:20 a.m.), saying on Twitter "ready and totally focused for tomorrow's + qualifying +".

Several team bosses had also assured the media present: "We are going to race".

© 2022 AFP