The Formula 1 paddock was rocked by an explosion and massive cloud of smoke that appeared near the track. Is it possible for the Grand Prix to go ahead?
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| [Houthi missile attack in Saudi oil facilities] |
An oil plant in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has reportedly been targeted by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was postponed on Sunday after a big fire broke out during free practise on Friday. The sky was filled with a massive cloud of smog. Houthi rebels have launched a "hostile operation" near Jeddah, according to Saudi official media.
Rocket and drone assaults on "major facilities" in Riyadh and the oil corporation Aramco factory in Jeddah have been claimed by the rebels, as well as strikes on other Saudi installations.
Even with a collision with a rocket, Formula One is back in action for the second day of Grand Prix practise. The first vehicles returned to the Red Sea track on Friday after a 15-minute delay.
F1's best kept their cards close to their chests in order to await official word. A meeting of all the drivers and team managers was convened before the start of the second practise. "An official declaration on how safety can be ensured" will be made later, according to Red Bull Motorsport Director Helmut Marko on the Sky TV station.
"We should drive" if the safety of the rest of the Grand Prix weekend can be ensured, said the Austrian driver.
The militias in Yemen often attack sites in their neighbouring countries. A gas facility and an oil refinery were stormed by insurgents in the industrial Red Sea city of Yanbu over the weekend. As a result, the refinery was forced to decrease its output for a period of time.
President Abd Rabbo Mansur Hadi's forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other Arab governments, have been at war with the Iran-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen since 2015. The battle has already claimed the lives of more than 380,000 people, according to the United Nations, and millions more have been forced to escape.