In August 2019, plans for a permanent motorsports complex at Qiddiya City, near the Saudi capital of Riyadh, were made public. The project was conceived by Test and Training International, a motorsports consultancy headed by former Formula One driver Alexander Wurz, with the objective of creating a world-class circuit capable of hosting all FIA categories through to Formula One. In January 2020, the plans were officially confirmed at an event where Wurz appeared alongside current and former Formula One drivers given the opportunity to drive the layout in a racing simulator. The track was confirmed as designed to FIA and FIM Grade 1 standards.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix first appeared on a draft 2021 Formula One calendar shown to teams at a Formula One Commission meeting in October 2020. In November 2020 it was announced that Jeddah would host the inaugural race, in collaboration with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, with the circuit located along the shore of the Red Sea.
In October 2022, Saudi Arabia's minister of sport Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud expressed interest in having both Jeddah and Qiddiya host annual Formula One races, or for the event to alternate between the two venues once the Qiddiya track opens. In January 2023, race organisers expected the event to remain in Jeddah until 2027, with the Jeddah circuit potentially hosting a separate Saudi Arabian Formula One race alongside Qiddiya thereafter.
On 14 March 2026, both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were cancelled due to the conflict between Iran and the United States, on the grounds of driver and staff safety.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is located on the Jeddah Corniche, adjoining the Red Sea. Formula One cars average around 250 km/h (160 mph), making it the fastest street circuit on the calendar. It is currently the third longest circuit on the Formula One calendar, behind Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and the Las Vegas Strip Circuit in the United States. The circuit was designed by Carsten Tilke, son of the famed circuit designer Hermann Tilke.
The race and qualifying sessions are held at night, under lights, where temperatures are substantially cooler than during the day. Formula 2 races are held during the day, as are two of the three Formula One practice sessions, which take place in high track temperatures.
The Grand Prix has received criticism from Amnesty International on the grounds of human rights in Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch condemned the decision to hold the event, arguing it was "part of a cynical strategy to distract from Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses." Formula One responded by stating it had made its position on human rights clear to all partners and host countries, and that it had worked to be a positive force everywhere it races. Human Rights Watch's Global Initiative Director Minky Worden called on Formula One to insist on the release of women's rights defenders. In February 2021, 45 human rights organisations called on Lewis Hamilton to boycott the race, citing Saudi Arabia's role in the Yemeni Civil War and the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia denied the Grand Prix was being used for sportswashing, arguing the race forms part of the country's efforts to open itself to the outside world.
During the 2021 race, Lewis Hamilton wore a rainbow-coloured helmet in support of the LGBT community and to advocate for changes to the rules affecting LGBT people in Saudi Arabia. He continued to wear the helmet in the preceding and following race.
Following a missile interception during the 2021 Diriyah ePrix, questions were raised about the event's viability. Formula One stated it would never go to high-security-risk areas, while also expressing confidence in the Saudi government's ability to ensure safety.
The 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was impacted when Yemen's Houthi rebels carried out a missile attack on an Aramco oil depot approximately 16 kilometres from the circuit, causing an explosion during the first practice session. After discussions lasting several hours, an agreement was reached to hold the event. The race also drew criticism over Saudi Arabia's human rights record, particularly following the mass execution of 81 people two weeks before the race. Drivers including Lewis Hamilton raised concerns over the event's safety.
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