Construction is well underway at Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya Speed Park, with new images and videos emerging of the progress at the site.
Designed by renowned circuit architect Hermann Tilke in collaboration with former Formula 1 driver and two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz, the Qiddiya layout is like no other track on the current calendar.
The main feature that has grabbed fans’ attention is the towering, 20-storey-high (70 metres) first corner, known as The Blade. The new construction images show the immense support structures for the dramatic left-hand turn, but they have also raised safety concerns among fans.
“Wait like, what happens if they fall off,” one fan commented on Reddit, while another added: “Imagine a driver is super clipping up to that corner and the driver behind is deploying energy to overtake. Huge speed difference and going up sounds extra dangerous.”
Someone else responded, “I swear most people saying this looks unsafe think the outside bit with the light boards is the track instead of the hairpin that’s 200m inside,” while another fan wrote: “It’s an uphill corner firstly, on top of that a hairpin. The drivers will be going extremely slowly, much like Turn 1 in COTA, and based on the second picture, there’s quite a bit of runoff and 2 separate catch fences so in concept, at least, highly unlikely any driver is gonna just straight fly off.”
In addition to The Blade, the track will feature 21 corners and will run counter-clockwise. According to the official Qiddiya website, drivers are expected to be able to reach 325km/h (202mph) at the track.
The new venue is earmarked to become the permanent home of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, replacing the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Provided the ambitious construction timelines are met, the completed venue, which also includes other attractions such as a theme park and golf course, could make its F1 debut in 2028.
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