Clarice, Jean Claude, Nicole & Hav & share their experiences attending this 12 months’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
F1 Experiences Packages / Jeddah Inns / Saudi GP Fb group
The 2026 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix takes place from April 17-19
Essential 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 through the fan discussion board and he stated “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 Pink 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 had been a lot and reasonably priced, 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 might have added extra shade although because it was highly regarded.
Some locals had a tough time with English so I needed to whip out my Google Translate app once in a while. The site visitors leaving the circuit on the finish of the day was dangerous, made worse by the lengthy queue of vehicles within the u-turn lane. Possibly they might have adjusted the site visitors stream and made two u-turn lanes given the anticipated heavy site visitors.
Total, it was a reasonably good race and an awesome expertise. Very reasonably priced, not so crowded and the native volunteers had been useful. 7/10
Jean Claude, Saudi Resident
I dwell 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 exhausting to speak as most of them didn’t communicate English effectively. I requested some fellow followers and so they had been extra useful! Total it was successful, although it was highly regarded (30+ levels).
I used to be seated in Essential Grandstand B, which was nice. I had views of Flip 1, and the primary fan zone is behind the grandstand. I additionally had an awesome view of the fireworks show.
I additionally attended the live shows after the race, which had been packed and enjoyable as all the time. This 12 months, the live shows had been on Saturday and Sunday night time, and so they had Jennifer Lopez and Usher performing. The one challenge is that the live performance space is round twenty minutes stroll from the primary grandstand, nevertheless it was value it.
This was my third time attending the race, however the first time I had points moving into the circuit. With grandstand tickets beforehand, you used to have the ability to hop on a shuttle bus from the skin parking into the circuit. This used to assist keep away from a whole lot of the highway closures and rerouted roads through the occasion. I attempted to do the identical this 12 months, 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. Because the local weather is so scorching and dry, I made positive to carry towels, an additional shirt and sunscreen. They had 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 Essential Grandstand tickets from F1 Tickets initially 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 the whole lot, however I couldn’t ship tickets to my good friend as a result of a technical challenge.
We deliberate to get there an hour earlier than the primary occasion on Friday, and that’s what we did. Porsche Supercup follow began at 11:30am. Uber’s prompt drop-off location was incorrect. Signage close by was additionally pointing within the flawed route for the circuit. We ended up strolling in with a gaggle of fellows who had 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 employees gave us water and allow us to undergo. We walked previous the media and driver parking, the place there was one other safety test (luggage by way of x-ray, wands). We then bought to the automobile entrance for drivers and workforce personnel, the place we had been instructed to show again. We requested the place? They put us in a golf cart and drove us by way of the automobile entrance for drivers and workforce personnel.
We appeared for the knowledge each for half-hour. We had been stopped twice within the grandstand and requested to point out our tickets within the app. All good nevertheless it appears we aren’t presupposed to be inside because the gates for followers don’t open till 3pm! There’s some shade within the fan zone, however not rather a lot. We did get proper up into the F1 Academy paddock and stated good luck to Maya Weug and Tina Hausman. We even bought to the touch the moist tires they’d introduced alongside simply in case .
Typically talking, that is an absolute clusterf***. I’m sure we might get into the paddock if we appeared assured sufficient, however don’t need to danger us being discovered later and kicked out. Obtained 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 flawed!
We had examine the necessity to get wristbands, so we thought it was time to do that. We requested round ten folks and had been lastly accompanied all the way in which from the Essential 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 way of 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 awesome begin to our expertise at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Issues positively improved over the weekend, fortunately! Getting there the following two days, we requested our Uber drivers to drop us off on the Pink 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 challenge once we walked to the Pink Sea Mall. In the long run, we walked two miles south until we had been lastly out of the geofence they’d arrange, and nonetheless waited one other forty-five minutes. The dangerous site visitors lastly turned what ought to have been a ten minute experience into thirty-five minutes.
Issues improved on Saturday, once we caught it out for an Uber from the Pink Sea Mall (fifty minute wait). On race day, we stayed for the observe invasion and went to the queue for state taxis. We barely needed to wait twenty minutes and the taxis had been in a position to 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 might go and seize 4 every at a time for our backpacks. The loos had been trailers, however they had been air conditioned and attended, so not disgusting, and there wasn’t an actual wait anytime that I noticed. Meals strains had been additionally fairly cheap. It was actually the solar that was the craziest factor, however that’s to be anticipated in Saudi. We spent a whole lot of time simply chilling within the grandstand because it was lined.
Seating is attention-grabbing in Saudi, in that it’s not assigned within the Essential Grandstand. You choose wherever you need to sit. We sat by the garages of our favourite workforce 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 far more crowded on race day, as can be anticipated.
Hav, Saudi Resident
We purchased Central B grandstand tickets, however just for Saturday and Sunday. We had one of the best time ever! We all the time lease a automotive once we attend System 1 to present us extra freedom to take a look at completely 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 aircraft!
It was actually scorching on the observe and we needed to stroll a good distance. Fortunately, they gave us free water. It wasn’t all the time chilly, nevertheless it’s exhausting to complain when it’s free!
We loved visiting the fan zone and interactive reveals. The world behind the Essential Grandstand was one of the best, nevertheless it was an extended stroll from our seats. Probably the greatest experiences was using the Ferris Wheel, which provided actually cool views of the observe (see image above).
In the course of the race, Lando crashed in entrance of our seats in Central B grandstand (Flip 5). We had 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 live shows had been loopy good. On Saturday we noticed Jennifer Lopez and Peggy Gou, after which after the race, Usher and Main Lazer. Whereas we had been heading again to the parking zone after the live performance, we noticed Bono from Mercedes working the observe. Nobody recognised him however I did and shouted out to him and he waved again at us.
I used to be upset there was no drivers’ parade on Sunday, however the drone exhibits and in depth fireworks made up for this somewhat. After the race, the screens introduced the observe invasion. We actually ran to the primary grandstand, then needed to look forward to the observe to be opened up. We ran to the entrance of the rostrum and had been so completely happy 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
Professionals: Wonderful worth for cash; leisure, F1 fan zone actions, superb high artist live shows, DJ, a number of meals distributors with cheap queues for a serious occasion, free water, very pleasant locals, very low crime charge in Jeddah.
Cons: A lot of strolling concerned! You should 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 Essential A grandstand.
The most important challenge, nonetheless, is returning house after the race. The police block most 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 surrender and cancel your experience earlier than attending to you. In case you have a premium subscription with Careem (Uber equal), the decision heart will aid you and provide you with precedence.
