Saudi Arabian Grand Prix promoter Martin Whitaker has sought to allay fears that the Middle East market will be oversaturated with Formula 1 racing as Qatar will be added to the Jeddah stages this year , Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.
The Grand Prix of Qatar was held for the first time in 2021, after which all forces and resources were deployed in this state in the Middle East for the preparation and holding of the World Cup. But in the fall of 2023, the Losail circuit will again host a Formula 1 race, and Whitaker does not believe there are any economic risks involved.
“Just look at car franchises or global consumer goods brands – in urban shopping areas, they are all concentrated in the same place,” said Saudi Motorsport Company CEO. – I agree, they compete with each other, but together they are stronger than if they were all scattered.
This analogy also applies very well to Formula 1 racing. Saudi Arabia is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and hosting Formula 1 races in the region benefits us all as it increases the popularity of the World Championship and promotes motorsport.
Although it seems that our countries are geographically close to each other, the distance from Bahrain to Jeddah is about 1,500 km. From Silverstone to Hungaroring lake (about 2000 km), but there are many races between these two European circuits. Therefore, the locations of the races in the Middle East are not as close together as some people think.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
