Formula 1 Grand Prix ‘biggest sporting event’ ever staged in Saudi Arabia: Prince Khalid

Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal highlighted progress on preparations for the event in Jeddah and spoke about the legacy the F1 race would have going forward. (Supplied)
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Updated 03 August 2021
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Formula 1 Grand Prix ‘biggest sporting event’ ever staged in Saudi Arabia: Prince Khalid

  • Chairman of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation talks to Arab News about December’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, ticket sales, F1 legacy

JEDAH: Saudi Arabia was gearing up for “the biggest sporting event the country has ever hosted” when Formula 1 racing roars into Jeddah later this year.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, made his comment about the milestone sporting occasion when he spoke to Arab News ahead of the penultimate round of the Formula 1 World Championship being staged in the Red Sea port city.

Motorsport fans in Saudi Arabia have been rushing to snap up tickets for the first-ever Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix which will take place on the streets of Jeddah from Dec. 3 to 5.

Grandstand, premium hospitality, and paddock club tickets went on sale earlier this week and already demand in the Kingdom has been high.

Government restrictions on spectators at sporting events due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic mean that only a 40 percent capacity crowd can currently be allowed, but it is hoped that more tickets could be released over the coming weeks if the virus outbreak is contained through the global roll out of vaccines.

Prince Khalid highlighted progress on preparations for the event in Jeddah and spoke about the legacy the race would have going forward.

How have early ticket sales been and do you expect the capacity to increase from the current 40 percent restriction?

After tickets went on sale, we have already seen a strong demand in just the first few days. It’s important to say this race is for everyone. We want to offer everybody a fair price so fans can come to the race with their friends and family and enjoy an amazing event.

We love motorsport and we love Formula 1 in Saudi Arabia and the people have been waiting many years for a race to take place in our country.

Although the government has lifted some restrictions, we are still only allowed 40 percent capacity, but we are optimistic we can have full occupancy of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit by December.

With 70 percent of the population vaccinated (against COVID-19) and cases not as high as they used to be, we are heading in the right direction. This is great news for the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

What can fans expect when they attend the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?

First of all, the Red Sea and the Jeddah Corniche is one of the most amazing places in the world and the weather in December is beautiful.

There will be so much on offer during the three-day event which, aside from the Formula 1 race, will be full of many supporting activities and entertainment, with live concerts, great food, art, and culture to discover in the fan zones around the track and city.

We like entertainment and we like sports, and many Saudis have to travel abroad for many of these events. Now we can offer the people of our country our own unique experience.

Formula 1 street races are usually held on tight, twisty tracks, but the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is set to be one of the longest and fastest on the whole of the calendar. How did this come about?

We know with street races we are quite limited in our options due to the nature of the public roads, but the location we found in Jeddah wasn’t fully developed. That gave us a lot of flexibility to create a very fast street track which will provide us with a very exciting race with a predicted average top speed of over 250 kilometers per hour.

The initial plan was to create a permanent circuit and motorsports city at Qiddiya near Riyadh, and that will host a race in 2023. But as we have such a big fan base here, and 70 percent of our population are aged under 30, we wanted to accelerate our hosting of a Formula 1 race, so chose to create this street track in Jeddah.

As we are four months away from our first race, now all of the infrastructure — drainage, sewers, electricity — is all complete. We expect the track will be ready by early October and all the main buildings, such as the pits, done by early November.

Considering the restrictions of working under COVID-19 regulations, it has been a challenge, but we have a very professional team working on this project that has made this mission possible, not mission impossible.

This year there is a fascinating battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. What are your thoughts on Saudi Arabia potentially hosting the title decider?

I’ve really enjoyed the fight between the Mercedes and Red Bull this year. I was at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix recently and this is what everybody wants to see, the top drivers fighting for the title and for it to go down to the wire.

We wish for it to continue, and we don’t want either side to dominate. We want to see hard and safe racing and for the best team to win.

Why is it important for Saudi Arabia to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix?

It’s the next step on our motorsport journey. We first hosted Formula E, the Dakar Rally, the Cross-Country Baja Rally, and these have been very important for us as we wanted to showcase our country to the world. We also need to think about our future and tourism is important for our economy.

But it’s more than that. We are also bringing motorsport to the people of Saudi Arabia, not only for them to enjoy but to be inspired.

We are building a team to manage this race and as Saudis we want the majority of people who work on this project to be from this country. We have enthusiastic young people in Saudi to show the world what we can do as a nation.

Formula 1 is important to us because it is the pinnacle of motorsport, the most exciting race series in the world, and the biggest sporting event that Saudi Arabia will host.

What will be the lasting legacy of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix?

We want to inspire people. We want opportunities to build careers in motorsport. One day we want to have a Saudi race driver, a man or a woman, racing in Formula 1 and winning the World Championship.

We want to have Saudi engineers, mechanics, marshals, journalists. For us it’s about building and creating an industry and we want events in the future to be organized and run by the locals here.

We are bringing the race to the Saudis for them to be a part of that story and to enjoy its legacy. That’s why it’s important to align with institutions, such as King Abdul Aziz University, and to have as many people as possible from Saudi Arabia engaged in Formula 1 and to be a part of this amazing opportunity. I can’t wait for the race to start.


Messi’s son debuts at Argentina youth tournament as grandparents watch

Updated 27 November 2024
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Messi’s son debuts at Argentina youth tournament as grandparents watch

  • The 12-year-old Messi played with the No. 10 jersey of an Inter Miami youth team
  • Thiago’s mother, Antonela Roccuzzo, and several members of his family, including grandparents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, were in the stands to watch him play

BUENOS AIRES: Thiago Messi, the eldest son of the Argentina star, has made his debut in the “Newell’s Cup” tournament in the countryside city of Rosario.

The 12-year-old Messi played with the No. 10 jersey of an Inter Miami youth team, which lost 1-0 on Monday to host Newell’s Old Boys in the traditional under-13 competition. The team also played Tuesday.

Lionel Messi took his first steps as a footballer in the Argentinian club in Rosario, 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of capital Buenos Aires.

Thiago’s mother, Antonela Roccuzzo, and several members of his family, including grandparents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, were in the stands to watch him play. Lionel Messi did not attend.

Thiago, who was substituted in the second half, played with his friend Benjamin Suarez, son of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, Messi’s teammate and close friend at Barcelona and now at Inter Miami.

Messi and Suarez are in Rosario after Inter Miami’s early elimination in the MLS playoffs. On Sunday, they watched a friendly game of Inter Miami’s U13 team against Union at the same sports complex.

The youth tournament in Argentina brings together eight teams from North and South America.


Salah ‘in a good place’ at Liverpool despite contract impasse, says Slot

Updated 27 November 2024
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Salah ‘in a good place’ at Liverpool despite contract impasse, says Slot

  • Slot: The only thing I can say is that if I look at my lineups, Mo is more in than out
  • The latest contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also due to expire at the end of this season

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Mohamed Salah is “in a good place” and isn’t affected by his contract impasse with the club.

Salah’s latest deal expires at the end of this season and he told reporters after Liverpool’s 3-2 win at Southampton on Sunday that he was disappointed not to have received a new contract offer, saying: “I’m probably more out than in.”

The issue dominated Liverpool’s news conference ahead of Wednesday’s match against Real Madrid in the Champions League, with Slot keen to play down any friction with Salah — and even suggested the situation is making the winger play as well as ever.

“I don’t think it distracts Mo at all,” Slot said Tuesday. “Maybe it even brings the best out of him if you look at his performances until now.

“I talk to Mo about what I expect from him, like I do with all the other players, and he is in a good place at the moment. I’m not distracted by his comments and I don’t feel his teammates are.”

Salah has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances for Liverpool this season and is second in the Premier League with 10 goals in 12 games, only behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (12 goals).

Slot even quipped: “The only thing I can say is that if I look at my lineups, Mo is more in than out.”

The latest contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also due to expire at the end of this season.

“In fairness, it goes for all three of them — Mo, Virgil and Trent are all in similar positions,” Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said. “Every one of them is so focused on the next game and training and preparing properly.”


Giannis-less Bucks edge Heat, Rockets advance in NBA Cup

Updated 27 November 2024
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Giannis-less Bucks edge Heat, Rockets advance in NBA Cup

  • Lillard hit 10-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-13 from 3-point range while passing off 12 assists as the Bucks improved to 3-0 in group play
  • All 30 league clubs play for the NBA Cup in an in-season tournament with teams divided into six groups of five for round-robin play in hopes of advancing to December knockout rounds

WASHINGTON: Damian Lillard scored 37 points to lead Milwaukee to victory at Miami 106-103 in the NBA Cup on Tuesday despite playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a knee injury.

Lillard hit 10-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-13 from 3-point range while passing off 12 assists as the Bucks improved to 3-0 in group play while the Heat slid to 1-2 and never led.

“It’s a game of runs. I got off to a hot start,” Lillard said. “I didn’t try to force the issue. I didn’t want to be passive. I tried to stay aggressive. I was getting the ball out. We just made good plays.”

All 30 league clubs play for the NBA Cup in an in-season tournament with teams divided into six groups of five for round-robin play in hopes of advancing to December knockout rounds with games also counting in the regular-season standings.

The Houston Rockets qualified for the quarter-finals but the surprise was in Miami, where Greek star Antetokounmpo was a late scratch with a left knee injury, leaving Lillard to take the scoring load.

A 26-9 Heat run to end the third quarter cut a 22-point Milwaukee lead to 85-80 entering the fourth and a 16-7 Miami run lifted the hosts level at 96-96 with 4:02 to play.

Milwaukee’s A.J. Green and Miami’s Terry Rozier traded 3-pointers late, the last by Rozier lifting the Heat within 104-103 with 30 seconds remaining.

Green sank another 3-pointer but it was launched just after a shot-clock violation and wiped out, giving Miami the ball with five seconds to play.

Miami’s Tyler Herro missed a 3-point shot and Milwaukee’s Taurean Prince sank two free throws with 1.2 seconds left, setting the stage for a Rozier 3-point miss at the buzzer.

“Guys made shots, played aggressive, we got some stops when we needed it, we made some free throws and that’s what it takes to win close games,” Lillard said.

“We’ve just had a lot of experience in these games where we have lulls in the second half and get into a dogfight. We let a few go early in the season... everybody wants to improve. We want to get right from the jump and I think we’re starting to show that down the stretch in these games.”

Jimmy Butler led Miami with 23 points.

Houston became the second team to clinch an NBA Cup quarterfinal berth, winning 115-111 in overtime at Minnesota to seal the West Group A crown. Golden State has already sealed the West Group C title.

Turkish center Alperen Sengun had a triple double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to spark Houston, which got 27 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds from Fred VanVleet and 22 points from Dillon Brooks.

Reserve Amen Thompson’s basket with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter lifted Houston level at 102-102.

Thompson sank a 3-pointer to ignite an 11-0 Houston overtime run as baskets by Jabari Smith, Brooks and two from Sengun brought the Rockets a 113-105 lead with 54 seconds remaining.

The Timberwolves, led by 29 points from Anthony Edwards, never got within four after that.

French star Victor Wembanyama scored 24 of his game-high 34 points in the first half to spark the San Antonio Spurs to a 128-115 victory at Utah, eliminating the Jazz’s title hopes.

Phoenix stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal returned from calf strains to spark the Suns over the defending NBA Cup champion Los Angeles Lakers 127-100.

Devin Booker had 26 points and 10 assists to lead the Suns while Beal and Durant each added 23 points in their comeback contests.

“Felt great,” Durant said. “We needed this win. Long as we continue to be healthy we’ll be fine.”

Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 25 points and 15 rebounds while LeBron James had 18 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the first Cup loss ever for the Lakers.

A 22-6 run gave the Suns a 98-78 lead entering the fourth quarter and the Lakers never threatened again.

Chicago’s Coby White scored 21 points and Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 12 rebounds to power the Bulls over host Washington 127-108.


ICC to decide fate of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy on Friday

Updated 27 November 2024
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ICC to decide fate of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy on Friday

  • India has declined to play in Pakistan over security concerns, which the hosts have dismissed
  • Last year, when Pakistan hosted Asia Cup, India’s matches were played outside the country

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet this week to determine the destiny of next year’s Champions Trophy after India refused to play in host nation Pakistan, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that India would not tour Pakistan for the eight-team tournament, leaving the fate of the event hanging in the balance.

The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.

A spokesman for the ICC based in Dubai told AFP they could “confirm an ICC meeting on Friday” where the issue will be on the agenda, without providing further details.

The PCB has already rejected proposals that would allow India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged on their turf.

India’s cricket board has not commented on the tournament.

Deteriorating political ties mean bitter rivals India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade — squaring off only in ICC multi-nation events.

Pakistan suffered a years-long drought of matches at home as teams refused to visit after a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore. International play only fully resumed in 2020.

When Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup, India’s matches were played outside the country.

But Pakistani cricket chiefs have rejected security fears for the Champions Trophy, pointing to their recent successful hosting of top teams including Australia, England, and South Africa.

The Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event staged in Pakistan since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.


Lewandowski hits Champions League century as Barca beat Brest

Updated 27 November 2024
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Lewandowski hits Champions League century as Barca beat Brest

  • It made Lewandowski only the third player to reach that milestone in the competition, behind former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, on 129, and former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, with 140

BARCELONA: Robert Lewandowski scored his 100th Champions League goal as Barcelona beat Brest 3-0 to climb provisionally second in the Champions League group standings on Tuesday.
The veteran striker slotted home from the spot in the 10th minute to fire the Catalans ahead and reach his milestone, adding a second late on after Dani Olmo’s goal to inflict the French side’s first defeat.
After dropping points in their last two outings in La Liga, coach Hansi Flick had urged his players to “eliminate” mistakes in their game and Barca produced a solid display.
They got off the mark quickly when Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot clumsily clattered into the back of Lewandowski after the forward controlled Pedri’s cross on his chest.
The striker dusted himself down and dispatched the penalty clinically to open the scoring after 10 minutes and bring up his century.
It made Lewandowski only the third player to reach that milestone in the competition, behind former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, on 129, and former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, with 140.
Under Flick, the forward’s form has improved significantly this season, reaching 22 goals in 19 appearances between La Liga and the Champions League.
The 36-year-old has made 125 Champions League appearances with Barcelona and before that German sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
“I am very happy, many years ago I did not think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League,” Lewandowski told Movistar.
“For me the most important thing is that we try to win every game, if I can score, then that’s the perfect solution.
“I don’t know how many games we have left before the end of the year but we have to win them all and rest over Christmas.”
Barcelona were still without teenage star Lamine Yamal, recovering from an ankle problem, but Raphinha was busy on the right and the Catalans dominated proceedings.
They did not create many clear chances though until Fermin Lopez forced a fine save from Bizot with a diving header.
The Dutch goalkeeper made amends for his earlier mistake by denying the Spaniard with his leg.
Lopez again came close early in the second half when Lewandowski put him in with a neat flick but Bizot was alert to save his low effort.
Playmaker Olmo had an effort scrambled off the line by Brendan Chardonnet as Barcelona sought to put the game to bed.
The former RB Leipzig midfielder eventually grabbed the second in the 66th minute when he received Gerard Martin’s pass in the box, showing some nifty footwork to dodge Chardonnet and beat Bizot at the near post.
Brest thumped RB Salzburg 4-0 and had dropped just two points from their first four matches despite sitting in mid-table in Ligue 1, but were brought down to earth at the Olympic Stadium.
Mathias Pereira Lage drilled home to momentarily delight nearly 3,000 traveling supporters but their joy was curtailed when the linesman raised his flag for offside.
Barca substitute Pablo Torre should have netted Barcelona’s third when he intercepted a pass with just the goalkeeper to beat, but fired wide.
Instead the job fell to Lewandowski and he rolled home his 101st Champions League goal with aplomb, beyond Bizot’s outstretched arm.
Brest fall a few places down the table but their strong start to the campaign means they are well placed to secure at least a play-off spot, while Barcelona are aiming to reach the last 16 directly.
Flick’s side travel to last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund next, before visiting Benfica and hosting Atalanta.