Clarice, Jean Claude, Nicole & Hav & share their experiences attending this yr’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
F1 Experiences Packages / Jeddah Lodges / Saudi GP Fb group
The 2026 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix takes place from April 17-19
Most important Picture Credit score: Jean Claude
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Clarisse from Philippines
My weekend on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was ‘one for the books’! I had a “Lando, be my habibi?” signal throughout the fan discussion board and he mentioned “hello, habibi” again to me. The signal was additionally captured by the cameras throughout FP2.
The situation of Jeddah Corniche Circuit was fairly sensible, simply 10 minutes from the place I used to be staying. On the primary day I bought confused with the drop off level, however ultimately simply went to Purple Sea Mall and used that because the drop off and choose up level for the remainder of the weekend..
I used to be seated within the Central A grandstand, which turned out to be actually cool as a result of we noticed the Lando and Pierre/Yuki crashes.
Meals and refreshment choices have been loads and inexpensive, plus the free water got here in useful with the extraordinary warmth. The drone present and fireworks added additional aptitude to the occasion. I want they may have added extra shade although because it was very popular.
Some locals had a tough time with English so I needed to whip out my Google Translate app every now and then. The site visitors leaving the circuit on the finish of the day was dangerous, made worse by the lengthy queue of automobiles within the u-turn lane. Possibly they may have adjusted the site visitors move and made two u-turn lanes given the anticipated heavy site visitors.
Total, it was a fairly good race and an excellent expertise. Very inexpensive, not so crowded and the native volunteers have been useful. 7/10
Jean Claude, Saudi Resident
I stay within the east of Saudi Arabia (I’m a Saudi resident), so it’s solely a two hour flight from Dammam to Jeddah.
There was a free pit lane stroll for 3-day ticket holders on Thursday at round 4pm. I arrived on the circuit proper earlier than the beginning time, however I used to be a bit misplaced! I didn’t know the proper entrance for the pit lane stroll. I requested circuit staff nevertheless it was laborious to speak as most of them didn’t communicate English nicely. I requested some fellow followers they usually have been extra useful! Total it was successful, although it was very popular (30+ levels).
I used to be seated in Most important Grandstand B, which was nice. I had views of Flip 1, and the primary fan zone is behind the grandstand. I additionally had an excellent view of the fireworks show.
I additionally attended the concert events after the race, which have been packed and enjoyable as all the time. This yr, the concert events have been on Saturday and Sunday evening, they usually had Jennifer Lopez and Usher performing. The one concern is that the live performance space is round twenty minutes stroll from the primary grandstand, nevertheless it was price it.
This was my third time attending the race, however the first time I had points entering into the circuit. With grandstand tickets beforehand, you used to have the ability to hop on a shuttle bus from the surface parking into the circuit. This used to assist keep away from plenty of the street closures and rerouted roads throughout the occasion. I attempted to do the identical this yr, however they didn’t let me on the shuttle bus, saying it was just for ‘basic ticket holders’. That’s why I nearly missed out on Thursday’s pit lane stroll.
I modified my plan for the remainder of the weekend and took a Careem taxi (native equal of Uber) straight to the circuit. I informed the driving force to comply with the indicators for the circuit and it labored out. For the reason that local weather is so sizzling and dry, I made certain to deliver towels, an additional shirt and sunscreen. They have been giving out free water contained in the circuit, which was appreciated.
Nicole from the USA
It began out with making an attempt to get our tickets. We had bought 3-day Most important Grandstand tickets from F1 Tickets originally of February. Seven calls to F1 Tickets assist and 4 unacknowledged emails to the circuit, and we lastly bought the tickets at 6pm on Thursday. The circuit was forcing you to make use of their app for every little thing, however I couldn’t ship tickets to my buddy resulting from a technical concern.
We deliberate to get there an hour earlier than the primary occasion on Friday, and that’s what we did. Porsche Supercup apply began at 11:30am. Uber’s prompt drop-off location was incorrect. Signage close by was additionally pointing within the improper path for the circuit. We ended up strolling in with a bunch of fellows who have been working on the occasion, however even they needed to ask folks the place to go.
We stopped at one gate with them, the place the safety workers gave us water and allow us to undergo. We walked previous the media and driver parking, the place there was one other safety examine (baggage by x-ray, wands). We then bought to the automobile entrance for drivers and group personnel, the place we have been instructed to show again. We requested the place? They put us in a golf cart and drove us by the automobile entrance for drivers and group personnel.
We regarded for the knowledge each for half-hour. We have been stopped twice within the grandstand and requested to indicate our tickets within the app. All good nevertheless it appears we’re not presupposed to be inside because the gates for followers don’t open till 3pm! There’s some shade within the fan zone, however not quite a bit. We did get proper up into the F1 Academy paddock and mentioned good luck to Maya Weug and Tina Hausman. We even bought to the touch the moist tires that they had introduced alongside simply in case .
Usually talking, that is an absolute clusterf***. I’m sure we may get into the paddock if we regarded assured sufficient, however don’t wish to danger us being came upon later and kicked out. Acquired the notification from the app that gates opened in 45 minutes however I used to be sitting throughout from McLaren’s storage in order that was improper!
We had examine the necessity to get wristbands, so we thought it was an excellent time to do that. We requested round ten folks and have been lastly accompanied all the way in which from the Most important grandstand again throughout the bridge to the parking space entrance. There, they informed us and one other couple ready there, that we must return by safety as a result of they weren’t formally open but. There we bumped into one other household that had additionally gotten there at 11:30am, however had been sitting on a shuttle going backwards and forwards for ninety minutes! All in all, Friday was not an excellent begin to our expertise at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Issues positively improved over the weekend, fortunately! Getting there the subsequent two days, we requested our Uber drivers to drop us off on the Purple Sea Mall, the place we grabbed some meals earlier than strolling over to the primary entrance. No points in any respect.
On the way in which house, Friday we tried to get an Uber and the wait time saved rising. We had the identical concern once we walked to the Purple Sea Mall. Ultimately, we walked two miles south until we have been lastly out of the geofence that they had arrange, and nonetheless waited one other forty-five minutes. The dangerous site visitors lastly turned what ought to have been a ten minute trip into thirty-five minutes.
Issues improved on Saturday, once we caught it out for an Uber from the Purple Sea Mall (fifty minute wait). On race day, we stayed for the monitor invasion and went to the queue for state taxis. We barely needed to wait twenty minutes and the taxis have been capable of take a again exit to bypass a lot of the site visitors leaving the circuit. Undoubtedly the sensible play, and wished we had labored this out earlier within the weekend.
The circuit was gifting away free bottles of chilly water, so we’d go and seize 4 every at a time for our backpacks. The loos have been trailers, however they have been air conditioned and attended, so not disgusting, and there wasn’t an actual wait anytime that I noticed. Meals traces have been additionally fairly affordable. It was actually the solar that was the craziest factor, however that’s to be anticipated in Saudi. We spent plenty of time simply chilling within the grandstand because it was lined.
Seating is attention-grabbing in Saudi, in that it isn’t assigned within the Most important Grandstand. You choose wherever you wish to sit. We sat by the garages of our favourite group on Friday, close to the rostrum on Saturday and subsequent to the beginning line on Sunday. We additionally watched all of the assist races throughout the weekend. It bought rather more crowded on race day, as could be anticipated.
Hav, Saudi Resident
We purchased Central B grandstand tickets, however just for Saturday and Sunday. We had the most effective time ever! We all the time hire a automotive once we attend System 1 to offer us extra freedom to take a look at totally different locations. Earlier than the race weekend, we traveled round Jeddah and went to the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025. Sadly, Charles Leclerc had visited the day earlier than! However on the way in which there, we noticed Max Verstappen’s airplane!
It was actually sizzling on the monitor and we needed to stroll a great distance. Fortunately, they gave us free water. It wasn’t all the time chilly, nevertheless it’s laborious to complain when it’s free!
We loved visiting the fan zone and interactive reveals. The realm behind the Most important Grandstand was the most effective, nevertheless it was a protracted stroll from our seats. Among the best experiences was driving the Ferris Wheel, which provided actually cool views of the monitor (see image above).
In the course of the race, Lando crashed in entrance of our seats in Central B grandstand (Flip 5). We have been all shocked and really relieved that he was okay. Everybody within the grandstand was shouting out and supporting him, however he saved his head down, clearly bummed to have crashed out. Later within the race, we additionally noticed Gasly and Tsunoda proper in entrance of us.
After the on-track motion, the concert events have been loopy good. On Saturday we noticed Jennifer Lopez and Peggy Gou, after which after the race, Usher and Main Lazer. Whereas we have been heading again to the parking zone after the live performance, we noticed Bono from Mercedes operating the monitor. Nobody recognised him however I did and shouted out to him and he waved again at us.
I used to be dissatisfied there was no drivers’ parade on Sunday, however the drone reveals and in depth fireworks made up for this a bit of. After the race, the screens introduced the monitor invasion. We actually ran to the primary grandstand, then needed to await the monitor to be opened up. We ran to the entrance of the rostrum and have been so comfortable to have the ability to see it up shut! It was a memorable race weekend, and the tickets solely price about 800 dirhams ($213 USD).
Sharaf from Bahrain
Execs: Glorious worth for cash; leisure, F1 fan zone actions, superb high artist concert events, DJ, a number of meals distributors with affordable queues for a serious occasion, free water, very pleasant locals, very low crime charge in Jeddah.
Cons: A lot of strolling concerned! You have to be bodily match with no little youngsters to deal with each the lengthy walks and the very excessive humidity. Not one of the stands are lined aside from Most important A grandstand.
The largest concern, nevertheless, is returning house after the race. The police block lots of the roads and lots of taxi and rideshare drivers are confused about which roads are open and which roads are blocked off. Typically they only quit and cancel your trip earlier than attending to you. In case you have a premium subscription with Careem (Uber equal), the decision middle will assist you to and offer you precedence.
