- Qiddiya Speed Park Track also in line to host F1’s Saudi Arabian GP
- Middle East one of several overseas markets being explored by Nascar
Nascar is in talks to hold a race in Saudi Arabia toward the end of the decade, according to Sports Business Journal (SBJ).
The US stock car racing series could reportedly stage an event in Qiddiya, the entertainment and tourism megaproject in Riyadh.
The Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) chair Khalid Al-Faisal was given a tour of construction of the Qiddiya Speed Park Track on 28th October, sharing an image on social media that included a poster showing racing series that will or might compete there in the future. As well as Nascar, these included Formula One and Formula E – both of which already race in Saudi Arabia.
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SBJ reports that though Nascar is one of the parties having discussions with the kingdom, there is no firm deal in place. Nascar chief operating officer Steve O’Donnell and senior vice president, racing development and strategy, Ben Kennedy both said last year that the Middle East was one of the regions they were exploring for potential events. Europe, South America and Asia are also being considered.
Qiddiya Speed Park Track reportedly already has an agreement in place with Formula One to move the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which is currently held in Jeddah, to the new venue when it opens closer to 2030. SBJ adds that the switch could potentially happen as soon as 2028.
In addition to staging various motorsport events, Saudi Arabia has partnerships with Formula E, Extreme E and E1 Series through its Public Investment Fund (PIF). The state-owned oil giant Aramco is also a global partner of Formula One.
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