F1 continues to grow, and with it grows the global interest in the sport. This translates into the desire of more and more countries and tracks to enter one of the most coveted calendars in the automotive world. Saudi Arabia, already having entered in grand style, is preparing to amaze once again.
The Middle Eastern country obtained a spot on the calendar for the first time in 2021. Since then, the Jeddah track has delivered intense duels and unexpected twists. In its inaugural year, the track hosted the fierce battle between Hamilton and Verstappen, who, after this Grand Prix, arrived tied on points ahead of the season finale.
In 2022 as well, with the event moved to the start of the Formula 1 season, the circuit gave us thrilling back-and-forth battles between Charles Leclerc and the Dutchman, with the latter ultimately prevailing. Fast forward to this year, with the spectacular pole position by the four-time world champion and a victory that slipped away due to a penalty that handed the win to Oscar Piastri.
But the Saudis like to do things in a big way, and after Jeddah, they had already launched the project for the futuristic Qiddiya circuit some time ago. The works are expected to be completed by 2027, as reported by ESPN, with the track set to host the Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix before the end of the decade.
The circuit will feature 21 corners and an incredible peak rising more than 20 stories into the air. The new track, currently under construction near the capital Riyadh, is expected to replace the current Jeddah circuit on the calendar. However, the president of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation has not ruled out the possibility of hosting races at both locations.
Regardless of Jeddah’s future, the Qiddiya Speed Park Track is shaping up to be one of the most incredible circuits in Formula 1 history. Renderings released by the country’s news agency show a futuristic racing track that looks like it came straight out of a video game.
What is certain is that the new standards of the sport are increasingly leaving the door open to the initiatives of new countries. Not only Saudi Arabia, but recently other candidates have also been mentioned, such as Thailand, Rwanda, or a return to South Africa.
At the same time, the situation in Europe is deteriorating: after Germany and France left the calendar in recent years, and with the Netherlands dropping off from 2026, other circuits are also at risk of being rotated. This has already been confirmed for Spa and for Barcelona, which will alternate with the new Madrid circuit, while Imola’s future remains highly uncertain.
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