The Qiddiyah circuit is part of new entertainment and sports Complicated beyond the capital Riyadh, designed by driver Alexander Wurz.
Chief executive officer Mike Reininger told BBC Sport the track would be”ready” to sponsor a Grand Prix at 2023.
“We’re building a center in the expectation there will be a bargain struck, and there’s a race here in Saudi,” he said.
Reininger said discussions were ongoing between Saudi governments and F1, including: “The formalization of a race is not for us at Qiddiyah. It’s outside the confines of the job itself. But we’re building a facility which will be able to host a world-class event among the signature things we’ll have on offer here at Qiddiyah as we open in 2023.”
Reininger said that he was”not specially engaged in (the Talks with F1) day to day” and that they were”mainly being driven by the overall sports authority and the motorsports federation.”
Insiders say no deal for Saudi Arabia to host a Grand Prix has been finalized, but it’s a fait accompli. F1 declined to comment on the prospect.
The Qiddiyah monitor was unveiled at an event on Friday, where the circuit has been demonstrated on a simulator.
Damon The 1996 F1 world champion, hill, was among the guests, along with former MotoGP riders Loris Capirossi and Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 racer Romain Grosjean that is current and ex-F1 drivers David Coulthard.
The Track is FIA Grade One benchmark, capable of hosting both the F1 and MotoGP, and is a portion of what Reininger described as”a larger universe of motorsport activities.”
He added: “We’re now building a series of facilities equally Off-road and on-circuit in a single aggregated place which has not been assembled anywhere else on earth like this. The centerpiece for us will be the Grade One circuit.”
The 45-year-old Wurz Former Benetton, Williams and McLaren driver, chairman and also two-time Le Mans winner of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, is the track programmer and a consultant on the project.
He explained: “It is a privilege of a lifetime to design the freedom and motion zone in Qiddiyah. The project offers opportunities that are excellent for us to create a track, a racing arena for spectators, and the drivers.
“The layout offers amazing elevation changes, which makes The use of this all-natural landscape that is magnificent. It is made to challenge drivers and engineers alike. And, in the simulation runs, I can guarantee you it is completely thrilling as an online – and off-track encounter.”
When will the Saudi Grand Prix be?
It Isn’t impossible that Saudi Arabia could hold its Formula 1 occasion before 2023, but that might require a second new circuit to be assembled as a stop-gap.
Alternatively, the Qiddiyah F1 monitor Could be completed before the sites it, but then it wouldn’t be ready before 2022.
A report this week suggested Saudi Arabia could enter the F1 calendar a year ago, but insiders state that it is not likely to take place.
One reason for that is there is not any track that may host F1 – even though it isn’t impossible that a temporary street track could be constructed for next year – and another which F1 is wary of overloading the calendar at the first year of a sweeping new set of regulations being released in 2021.
The F1 schedule of this year already holds a record 22 races, and Only the Spanish Grand Prix doesn’t have a contract.
The human rights question
A Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia would be rewarding for F1 concerning hosting charges, which would be anticipated to be in the region of $50m annually but might inevitability draw against criticism.
Global sports businesses have been accused of being complicit in what is viewed as Saudi Arabia’s effort to’sports-wash’ its poor human rights record.
Amnesty International says Saudi Arabia has”an appalling record on LGBT rights, women’s rights, extra-judicial killings, beheadings, the murder of journalist Jamal Kashoggi, and their involvement in the continuing battle in Yemen.”
And human rights groups indicate that while Women are permitted to drive for the previous 18 months, Saudi female activists are still in jail for encouraging the best.
Saudi Arabia has recently been making attempts to Present an image it is and is currently growing more liberal in the process of trying to open itself up into the broader world and promote itself as a place and go on holiday.
And people back Sports events that are holding in controversial places argue that the issues can be brought by raising the profile of nations in this way into the spotlight.
F1 holds Criticised for their human rights records, most notably China Russia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi, and has countered criticism by stating it is a non-political organization.
The Qiddiyah Development is part of a job by Saudi Arabia called Vision 2030 aimed at diversifying the nation’s market beyond reliance on the production of fuels.
Reininger explained Vision 2030 as”a transformation of the nation economically and socially.”
The Wider Qiddiyah project effectively creates a city that is brand new and will expand Over 330 square kilometers, a theme park, such as hotels, retail, and Environmental programs.
