Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali says sport can put 'spotlight' on country's human rights record

Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali says sport can put 'spotlight' on country's human rights record

The new F1 season begins in Bahrain this weekend before the second race follows in Jeddah a week later; Saudi Arabia last week announced that it executed 81 men in the kingdom's biggest mass execution in decades; Lewis Hamilton said last year he did not "feel comfortable" racing there

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali says the sport's decision to race in Saudi Arabia can help shine a "spotlight" on the country's human rights record.

The new F1 season begins in Bahrain this weekend before the second race follows in Jeddah a week later, returning for a second Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the country hosted the sport for the first time last year.

Saudi Arabia last week announced that it executed 81 men, including seven Yemenis and one Syrian, for terrorism and other offences including holding "deviant beliefs" in the kingdom's biggest mass execution in decades.

Amid criticism over the sport's decision to continue to race there, Domenicali argued that it could have a positive effect.

At last year's Saudi GP Lewis Hamilton wore a helmet sporting the Progress Pride flag in support of the LGBTQ+ community


"When we hear this kind of news, it's quite alarming," Domenicali said in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.

"But I'm a true believer in the fact that sport has to make sure that human rights is at the centre of our agenda, together with the country where we are going.

"I think if I take a step back, what we saw last year, we saw a lot of women, a lot of young people attending the race and enjoying for the first time that they've never had the chance to see live, is the right direction to take.

"The fact that we're going to be there, gives the intensity of the spotlight around a subject that maybe without us would have a different place in the news."

The discussion around racing in Saudi Arabia comes after F1 chiefs cancelled this year's Russian Grand Prix following the country's invasion of Ukraine, with action being taken after several drivers spoke out strongly.

Lewis Hamilton said in the build-up to last year's Saudi GP, which took place in December, that he did not "feel comfortable" racing there and urged F1 to "apply pressure" to drive change.

Same-sex relationships are illegal in Saudi Arabia - as they are in Qatar - and Hamilton wore a helmet at both of those races last year sporting the Progress Pride flag in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×