F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Huge fire breaks out in Jeddah ahead of race
Thick black smoke coming from the Aramco facꦗtory was clearly visible from the circuit and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, unaware of the incident, asked on his team radio: “I smell burning - is it my car?”
A statement from F1 said: “We are wait▨ing for further information from the authorities on what has🎀 happened.”
Yemen's Houthis rebels hav🥂e claimed ไresponsibility for the attack. Just days ago, they attacked the same location.
Local reports in Saudi Arabia have acknowledged these latest attacks on ღFriday as a "hostile operation".
𓆏Saudi Arabia and Yemen have been involved in a long-running conflict.
The fire is less than 20km from the race track, where Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed up last week’s win at th♑e Bahrain Grand Prix by setting the pace at Practice 1 ahead of the second round of the championship.
F2 qual🌊ifying began after the fire, however Practice Two for F1 was delayed by 15 minutes because drivers and team bosses were called into an urgent meeting with F1 president Stefano Domenicali.
They have now eme🥃rged and Practice Two is underway.
