F1 option

SAUDI Arabia would be willing to step in and host an extra race this year to help Formula One fill a gap on the calendar due to the Covid-19 pandemic, promoter Prince Khalid Bin Sultan al-Faisal said this week.

The country is due to make its debut with a night race in Jeddah on December 5 that would be the penultimate round of the season.

The previous slot had been allocated to Australia, which is now cancelled.

“We haven’t been asked by Formula One to accommodate a second race but everything is going on schedule for our preparation,” the prince said.