The inaugural Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia was one of the most-watched races in recent memory. The universally acclaimed Jeddah Corniche Circuit attracted nearly 140,000 spectators across three days. Following on from the dramatic and spectacular event last December, the sport’s longest and fastest street circuit will again test the world’s best drivers to the limit, as they take to the 27-turn flood- lit course at speeds averaging over 252km/h. Few layout changes will be made to improve sightlines for this year’s race. Greater spectator experience, enhanced Fan Zones, revised grandstand locations and better traffic management systems in place for March event. Saudi Mo- torsport Company to develop com- munity and sustainability projects and maximise business networking opportunities. Notably, the continued expansion of Jeddah’s Corniche to include more sport and leisure facilities, hotels and restaurants. The Luxury Network – KSA edition talks to Martin Whitaker, the Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Motor- sport Company, about the tremendous success of the race, the new improvements to be implemented and what to expect from this one of a kind event.
How much of a success was the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2021?
It was a tremendous success and a memorable occasion, particular- ly with regards to the global reach and visibility of the race around the world. Prior to the Abu Dhabi finale, and the dramatic conclusion to the Championship, it was one of the most-watched Formula 1 rac- es of all time. The whole weekend was fantastic, and it did a brilliant job of portraying Saudi Arabia to the world. I think a lot of people didn’t appreciate the enormity and the reach of Formula 1 until Jeddah actually hosted its first ever Grand Prix. The scale of the event and its impact was far larger than anything we dared to expect. That was borne out by the attendances figures as well. We had packed grandstands on race day with the F1 Paddock Club and premium hospitality sold out across all three days. Through a combination of grandstand tickets, general admission, Paddock Club and premium hospitality, we had close to 140,000 spectators visit- ing the track in total. It was a phenomenal event for us and a terrific showcase for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Makkah Province and the city of Jeddah.
What was the reaction to the event from both the local community and visiting fans?
Every single person who attended the race thought it was amazing. Yes, it was our first F1 event so there were always going to be teething troubles, but don’t forget the whole facility had been constructed in less than eight months, so it was a phenomenal achievement. It was a celebration for the city of Jeddah and the Makkah Province. The fact the racetrack was laid out on the spectacular Corniche, with the Red Sea as a backdrop, brilliantly showcased this port city to the world. Fans loved our opening and closing ceremonies, the pyrotechnics, air displays and live concerts and we plan to make the experience bigger and better this year. Many visitors didn’t know what to expect, because they had never been to the Kingdom before, but the most important thing for me is that they were enriched by their experience and said how much they were looking forward to coming back for our second race in March.
The Hospitality suites were sold out for all three days – what made these luxury viewing options such a draw for fans?
When we conceived the original track design, we paid a great deal of attention to ensuring that our VIP viewing areas would be state-of- art and unlike any other seen at an F1 circuit to date. We believe that our stunning Premium Hospitality and Paddock Club lounges achieved this goal and the reaction from our guests during the race week- end confirmed this to us. A Hospitality ticket at our circuit offers our guests the most luxurious and glamorous experience possible at the race weekend. Not only are fans provided with the best views of the racing action on the stunning Jed- dah Corniche Circuit, but access to our VIP lounges also functions as a great networking, client entertainment and B2B opportunity.
The F1 Paddock Club is renowned as the height of at-event luxury hospitality – not only in the world of Motorsport but in sport in gen- eral. Fans visiting the Paddock Club at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit are able to enjoy the race weekend in style in our state-of-the-art hospitality suites inside the magnificent Pit & Team Building overlook- ing the glorious Red Sea coastline. No other sports hospitality event has the luxury of a whole weekend like Paddock Club, so there’s more than enough time for fans to enjoy all the F1 experiences on offer here. On one side you can look down into the Paddock where drivers, celebrities and F1 legends will mingle. On the other, you will look down onto the pit lane and start- ing grid with an incredible view of the Jeddah waterfront on the horizon. Throughout the weekend, our guests have all their needs catered to, with world-class cuisine and money-can’t-buy live experiences and activations on offer across all three days.
In addition, to the Paddock Club, we were also able to welcome guests to our very own Premium Hospitality lounges – a VIP viewing experience like no other. Part of the unique U-shaped Central Arena, this one- of-a-kind, over-the-bridge design offers visitors a 360-degree view of the circuit together with a spec- tacular view of the Red Sea coast- line beyond, with premium seating, exceptional cuisine and friendly service guaranteed! In addition to the incomparable vantage point for viewing the racing action as well as enjoying fine dining and guest appearance by some of the biggest legends of the motorsport world, all our hospitality guests were also given a ‘Golden Circle’ pass to our three nightly post-race concerts, meaning had the best seats in the house to enjoy the likes of Justin Bieber, Jason Derulo and David Guetta perform their spectacular live shows on our Main Stage. Taking all of the above into account, it was no surprise to us that we managed to sell out our hospitality spaces last year and we are already seeing similar levels of interest and excitement from fans to return in March when we will continue to create unforgettable memories for our guests.
As the longest and fastest street circuit on the F1 calendar, would you say the 27- turn Jeddah Corniche Cir- cuit was an immediate hit with the drivers?
There’s no doubt about it, the driv- ers loved the track. From the mo- ment they left the pits on Friday afternoon it was clear they relished the challenge of this venue. I think Valtteri Bottas summed it up best when he described it as “hardcore” adding that the high-speed nature of the circuit gave him an adrenaline rush! There are a lot of street courses that have tight and slow 90-degree bends, but the fast speeds of Jeddah and flowing corners enabled the drivers to really attack the circuit. In the race there was also plenty of overtaking and drama with just the one particular corner catching a couple of the drivers out.
What lessons have you learnt from the first race? Will there be any amend- ments to the circuit for the 2022 edition?
Yes, the length of time between the two races has enabled us to reflect on some aspects that did and didn’t work. And we have been striving to improve on some areas for our second event. Firstly, there are going to be one or two slight changes to the track. These tweaks are directly related to a drivers’ sightline from the cockpit. It’s minimal work, but it will help improve forward visibil- ity in a couple of corners. Secondly, we will make some small modifica- tions to the barriers that will favour the lines the drivers take around the course.
What about from a spectator perspective?
There are a couple of areas that we are working on to enhance the ex- perience for the fans who return to the track in March. We are plan- ning on shifting some of the an- gles of the grandstands to improve visibility and at the same time we plan to increase the size and de- velop the Fanzones, which proved to be extremely popular. We had to get the whole facility ready in a short space of time, but now with this small gap to our second race we are better placed to understand our limitations. Because of our location, we can’t change too much because the track is positioned on a narrow strip of land next to the sea, but we are certainly looking at the circuit’s entrance and exit. Due to the confines of the track’s location traffic management was an issue and there were characteristics of the road system that created un- necessary delays. There are lessons we have learnt, and we have the time now to get these aspects resolved to make sure everyone who returns will have an equally good, if not better, experience.
Why is the second Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia only a couple of months after the first race and what are the plans with utilising the circuit when it isn’t hosting Formula 1?
We had always agreed that the race would be at the beginning of the season, and it makes good sense from a logistical point of view to be in Bahrain one week and in Saudi Arabia the next. The desire to stage the first race in 2021, meant that it wasn’t physically possible to have it any earlier than December due to the time required to build the track but going forward the race will be scheduled in March each year. In addition, we announced in November the launch of the Saudi Motor- sport Company (SMC) that will sit underneath the Ministry of Sport and will be the organising and promotional arm of the ASN, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF). Not only will SMC promote the Grand Prix, but other motorsport events in the country such as the Dakar Rally and Extreme E. Plus it will run other races and motorsport events, promotional and community events, track days and other projects in and around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. For example, in February we will have nearly 70 cars on track as part of a Ferrari Owners Club meeting. It’s important for us to maximise the use of the track so that it is of benefit to the local community in Jed- dah.
What other developments will have occurred at the venue ahead of the 2022 race?
One of the main areas of building work has been to expand the Cor- niche in Jeddah by approximate- ly 3.5km, so that it now extends all the way up to the new Marina. The Corniche is a focal point for the community and both local res- idents and tourists can now enjoy a greater waterfront walkway, cycle lanes, new restaurants and hotels. The whole area is continuing to be landscaped to create a beauti- ful environment for people to relax or to enjoy their leisure time with sports such as basketball, beach soccer and volleyball or outdoor gyms. The extended Corniche is delivering something new for the community, which is also at the heart of our sustainability mission.
Not only are we one of the first circuits and promoters to have an imbedded sustainability team, but we are also in the process of creating a case study for Formula 1 so they can promote what we have been doing.
It isn’t just about reducing plastic use, we have managed bigger projects such as the regeneration of the lagoon, which was an area of land in Jeddah falling into disrepair. Our environmentally friendly work mirrors the Saudi Vision 2030 pol- icy of the Kingdom and fits in with the activations of local companies, such as Aramco and Petromin.
What are the plans for the future of the Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia?
The most important thing is that the long-term future of a race in Saudi Arabia is secure. The construction of Qiddiya near Riyadh is on-going, but the focus is very much on Jeddah at the moment and about maximising the opportunities on this fantastic circuit. There are very few like the one we have on the Corniche, which is challenging, dynamic, long and super-fast and in such a stunning location. Jeddah continues to be a dynamic shop window for the country, not only from a sporting perspective but for the business community too. We plan to build awareness that F1 is a great platform, not only for Saudi companies to showcase their businesses but to welcome global corporations to the country too. Formula 1 presents a great opportunity to do business and also offers a backdrop for people to en- joy networking in a more relaxed atmosphere.