Driving alongside Max Verstappen: the crazy new race track in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is working on a new race track where stars like Max Verstappen will drive for Formula 1. The name of the circuit is Qiddiya and it will be a crazy place.
“Pushing the limits of motorsport to the limit” is the goal of the developers. But it’s not just the boundaries of motorsport that are being pushed. Qiddiya is a complete entertainment city that is currently being built. A kind of Las Vegas in the Middle East.
Qiddiya Saudi Arabia
The entertainment city is not far from Riyadh, the country’s capital. An important part of the city will be the Qiddiya race track, where, among other things, Formula 1 is held. Finally, the track was designed by Hermann Tilke, F1 designer and driver Alexander Wurz.
Drive next to Max Verstappen
A video from Qiddiya Saudi Arabia shows that you can sit on a roller coaster next to the track during the race. This allows you to race with drivers like Max Verstappen. The roller coaster will be located along the main straight of the circuit.
The race track itself is probably one of the most exciting. For example, there are extreme differences in altitude on the Qiddiya route. In the opening curve, the asphalt rise is equivalent to that of a 20-story building and is approximately 108 meters high. That’s something different than the 8.9 meter difference in altitude of the Zandvoort track.
There will be a total of 21 corners during the Grand Prix. According to the developers, the Saudi Arabian circuit can be easily customized. In combination with a partial street circuit, Qiddiya will have the longest race track in the world.
Sitting next to Max Verstappen on a roller coaster at the Qiddiya Grand Prix is possible in 2027 if everything goes according to plan. Small disadvantage for the fans, no beer will be allowed during the race. Alcohol is strictly forbidden in Saudi Arabia. Foreign diplomats were recently able to buy drinks at a shop in Riyadh. Perhaps in 2027 tourists will have more access than their own Muslim population. In the video below you can see how far they have come in building Qiddiya.