F1 News: Team Principals React To “Worrying” Terror Attack – “There Have Been Many Attacks”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has confirmed that he believes the F1 is making the right decision to race at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix despite the terror attack on a local oil facility only 12km away from the Jeddah track. He tells the press that the sport “shouldn’t be bullied” into making a move.
The first day of practice sessions brought plenty of drama to the 2022 F1 season as a missile attack was reported next to the track. What followed was a number of meetings as drivers decided whether or not to continue the racing of the weekend, and while fans haven’t been happy for it to continue, it will be going ahead.
F1 president Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that “we will race”, and Horner has agreed:
“I think the sport has to stand together collectively.
“Any act of terrorism cannot be condoned, and the sport shouldn’t be bullied into a position that a situation like that just isn’t acceptable.
“Stefano and the president, they’re dealing with it, and there have been all the assurances from the organisers and we will be going to race.”
McLaren chief Andreas Seidl has confirmed that safety isn’t an issue, but he is still worried about what’s happened.
“It was a very worrying situation for all of us,” he told Sky Germany.
“So it was just important to have the dialogue with Formula 1 to understand what information they have.
“Stefano assured us that the authorities here are aware of the incident have investigated and that there are no safety concerns with the continuation of the event here, so we are relying on that information and that’s why we went back to the pits.”
He continued:
“Of course it is not reassuring when you hear about an incident like this that is not far from the track. But we now simply have to rely on the information that we have received.
“We have confidence that Formula 1 will make the right decisions.”
Williams CEP Jost Capito has also told the press that he feels “safe”, as does his team:
“It was discussed how security is here.
“We were assured that it is safe wherever there are people and that there have been many attacks, but in areas that are uninhabited.
“Even all the ministers are here and if they aren’t was a safe place, they would certainly be the first not to be there.
“I feel safe. If I didn’t feel safe, then I wouldn’t feel safe for the whole team because I have responsibility for the whole team. There was no discrepancy the drivers and teams.
“I think it’s the right place to drive this weekend because we’re all here. If so, it should have been discussed beforehand.”