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 Lodges / Saudi GP Fb group
The 2026 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix takes place from April 17-19
Predominant 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 mentioned “hello, habibi” again to me. The signal was additionally captured by the cameras throughout FP2.
The placement of Jeddah Corniche Circuit was fairly sensible, simply 10 minutes from the place I used to be staying. On the primary day I received confused with the drop off level, however finally simply went to Pink Sea Mall and used that because the drop off and decide 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 lots and inexpensive, plus the free water got here in helpful 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 extremely popular.
Some locals had a tough time with English so I needed to whip out my Google Translate app sometimes. The visitors leaving the circuit on the finish of the day was unhealthy, made worse by the lengthy queue of vehicles within the u-turn lane. Possibly they might have adjusted the visitors movement and made two u-turn lanes given the anticipated heavy visitors.
General, it was a reasonably good race and an incredible 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 right entrance for the pit lane stroll. I requested circuit employees but it surely was onerous to speak as most of them didn’t converse English effectively. I requested some fellow followers they usually have been extra useful! General it was successful, although it was extremely popular (30+ levels).
I used to be seated in Predominant Grandstand B, which was nice. I had views of Flip 1, and the primary fan zone is behind the grandstand. I additionally had an incredible view of the fireworks show.
I additionally attended the live shows after the race, which have been packed and enjoyable as at all times. This 12 months, the live shows have been on Saturday and Sunday night time, they usually had Jennifer Lopez and Usher performing. The one challenge is that the live performance space is round twenty minutes stroll from the primary grandstand, but it surely 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 lots of the street 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 ‘common ticket holders’. That’s why I virtually 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 advised the motive force to observe the indicators for the circuit and it labored out. Because the local weather is so sizzling and dry, I made positive to convey 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 attempting to get our tickets. We had bought 3-day Predominant Grandstand tickets from F1 Tickets initially of February. Seven calls to F1 Tickets help and 4 unacknowledged emails to the circuit, and we lastly received the tickets at 6pm on Thursday. The circuit was forcing you to make use of their app for all the pieces, however I couldn’t ship tickets to my good friend as a consequence 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 recommended drop-off location was incorrect. Signage close by was additionally pointing within the fallacious course 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 individuals 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 test (baggage by x-ray, wands). We then received to the car entrance for drivers and workforce 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 car entrance for drivers and workforce personnel.
We regarded for the data each for half-hour. We have been stopped twice within the grandstand and requested to point out our tickets within the app. All good but it surely appears we aren’t speculated to be inside because the gates for followers don’t open till 3pm! There’s some shade within the fan zone, however not lots. We did get proper up into the F1 Academy paddock and mentioned good luck to Maya Weug and Tina Hausman. We even received 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 need to threat 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 fallacious!
We had examine the necessity to get wristbands, so we thought it was a very good time to do that. We requested round ten individuals and have been lastly accompanied all the way in which from the Predominant grandstand again throughout the bridge to the parking space entrance. There, they advised 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 forwards and backwards for ninety minutes! All in all, Friday was not an incredible begin to our expertise at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Issues undoubtedly improved over the weekend, fortunately! Getting there the subsequent 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 dwelling, Friday we tried to get an Uber and the wait time saved growing. We had the identical challenge after we walked to the Pink Sea Mall. In the long run, 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 unhealthy visitors lastly turned what ought to have been a ten minute journey into thirty-five minutes.
Issues improved on Saturday, after 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 have been capable of take a again exit to bypass a lot of the visitors leaving the circuit. Undoubtedly the good play, and wished we had labored this out earlier within the weekend.
The circuit was giving freely free bottles of chilly water, so we might 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 strains 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 lots of time simply chilling within the grandstand because it was lined.
Seating is fascinating in Saudi, in that it’s not assigned within the Predominant Grandstand. You decide 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 help races throughout the weekend. It received 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 perfect time ever! We at all times lease a automobile after we attend Formulation 1 to provide 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 sizzling on the observe and we needed to stroll a great distance. Fortunately, they gave us free water. It wasn’t at all times chilly, but it surely’s onerous to complain when it’s free!
We loved visiting the fan zone and interactive reveals. The world behind the Predominant Grandstand was the perfect, but it surely was a protracted stroll from our seats. Probably the greatest experiences was driving the Ferris Wheel, which supplied 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 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 live shows 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 working the observe. 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 exhibits and in depth fireworks made up for this a bit. After the race, the screens introduced the observe invasion. We actually ran to the primary grandstand, then needed to anticipate the observe 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 value about 800 dirhams ($213 USD).
Sharaf from Bahrain
Execs: Glorious worth for cash; leisure, F1 fan zone actions, superb prime artist live shows, DJ, numerous meals distributors with affordable queues for a serious occasion, free water, very pleasant locals, very low crime charge in Jeddah.
Cons: Numerous strolling concerned! You have to be bodily match with no little children to deal with each the lengthy walks and the very excessive humidity. Not one of the stands are lined apart from Predominant A grandstand.
The largest challenge, nevertheless, is returning dwelling 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. Generally they only hand over and cancel your journey earlier than attending to you. When you have a premium subscription with Careem (Uber equal), the decision middle will aid you and offer you precedence.
