Fire Breaks Out at Oil Depot near to Jeddah F1 Circuit

 

This weekend's F1 hosted the 2nd race Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and a cloud of smoke hung in the air when the refinery exploded just 20km about 12 miles) from the track. The explosion occurred at an Aramco oil depot, and various sources reported massive fire.

F1 is currently waiting for an official statement from the Saudi Arabian authorities on the issue. While the latter is busy at the moment, the organizers of the world's most expensive motorsport want to ensure that this weekend's event can safely go ahead.

On Friday, opening free practice, all teams and their drivers (except Seb Vettel) were already in the country, and everything was going as normal on Jeddah's Corniche circuit until some drivers reported they smelled burning in the air. It didn't take long to discover the reason for this fragrance that had nothing to do with the racing cars themselves.

Due to the blast, thick black smoke appeared in some places along the way, and the smell of burning things reached the area faster than the smoke. For health and safety reasons, the team is expected to rest in the evening as the fire broke out around 5 p.m. local time.