On a night that could have been a before and after in the premier category of motorsport, the opinion of those in charge has ended up prevailing over that of the drivers.
Hours, hours and hours of meetings later… the opinion of those who risk their skin on the asphalt has not ended up prevailing above that of those who manage everything from outside.
As soon as the weekend began on the track, with the occasion of the first free practice session, a black smoke became highly visible in the surroundings of the Jeddah circuit. “I smell burning, I don’t know if it’s my car or another”Max Verstappen radioed his team.
Red Bull quickly confirmed that, to his delight, it was not the RB18 that was on fire. What was burning was a refinery just over 10 kilometers from the routea refinery of Aramco, the main sponsor of Formula 1 with which it has recently signed a multi-year agreement.
Confirmation of the attack
What at first could have been an accident ended up being confirmed as an attack by the Houthi rebels of Yemen over Saudi Arabia in a war that has been open since 2015.
Given this situation, a short meeting was held prior to Free Practice 2, which led to the start of the session being delayed by 15 minutes. What was decided then? precisely that the Grand Prix program was to remain unchangedwhatever would have happened would have happened, until the conclusion of it on Sunday with the race.
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The team leaders in their entirety, together with Stefano Domenicali and Mohammed ben Sulayemrecently appointed president of the FIA to the detriment of Jean Todt, supported the fact of moving forward, displaying a security that Formula 1 had guaranteed them based on the fact that the objectives were not civilians, but Saudi buildings such as said refinery against which they have attacked with missiles and drones.
script twist
However, as soon as the second free practice session on Friday ended, the drivers locked themselves in a circuit room in which officials from both teams and relevant entities paraded. Why? For him widespread discontent in relation to running in conditions where safety is not assured.
More than 4 hours of meeting between each and every one of the drivers on the current grid (with the exception of a Sebastian Vettel still convalescing from COVID-19), where Stefano Domenicali, Ross Brawn and the team bosses came and went, they did not serve to change the decision to promoters.
The contractual agreements that are in force, with the corresponding fines If these agreements are not complied with, they have ended up prevailing and the pilots’ gaze will be divided on Saturday and Sunday once they lower their visors and take to the track.