After a missile strike on an oil storage facility near the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Friday, Valtteri Bottas believes F1 has tried to assure racers that if personal security cannot be secured, they will reassess Grand Prix destinations.
F1 reminded drivers, according to Valtteri Bottas, that if they can’t ensure the safety of everyone involved, they’ll reassess where races are held.
On Friday, a missile strike on an oil store 20 kilometres from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit disrupted the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend.
On Friday evening, the ten Team Principals met with the Saudi government, Formula One, the FIA, and their own drivers to discuss the issue.
The teams overwhelmingly opted to finish the race after receiving assurances that it was safe to do so – but the drivers were more difficult to persuade, with crisis negotiations lasting well into the night.
“It’s definitely [been] a challenging weekend,” Bottas told media.
“Obviously, [the drivers’ meeting went on] quite late, and in some places, you don’t need to have that discussion.
“F1 promised to reconsider all the events for the future, including this one, to make sure that we go to the right places where they can guarantee our safety 100 per cent, always, when we go there.”
Bottas praises the F1 drivers’ unity
Bottas refused to specify whether he had wanted to race in Jeddah or would be willing to do so in the future, however the Alfa Romeo driver did praise the recent spirit of unity and camaraderie that had evolved among the 20 drivers.
“I feel like the [Grand Prix Drivers’ Association] is really united at the moment, and it felt like everyone was feeling the same,” Bottas explained.
“With any issues, we will always regroup and go through them and give our view, if it makes a difference. That’s nice. But it’s not always guaranteed it will.”
The GPDA is an official trade union for Formula One drivers.
Alexander Wurz, a former Benetton, Williams, and McLaren driver, has served as Chairman since 2014, and the group’s Directors include latest drivers Sebastian Vettel and George Russell.
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Alfa Romeo, F1, F1 2022, Formula 1, Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas
