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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Giles Richards

F1 claims to nurture positive change but clearly puts money before morals

Smoke rises from an oil facility in Jeddah following a missile strike last weekend before the grand prix.
Smoke rises from an oil facility in Jeddah following a missile strike last weekend before the grand prix. Photograph: Andrej Isaković/AFP/Getty Images

The drivers may be the stars of the show but when considering the fallout from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix they should have no illusions as to where they stand in the eyes of the people running Formula One. A sport which now declares its moral stance beyond judgment will have no fear of putting pay day before the men delivering the show on track.

There was clear distaste from some in even being in Saudi Arabia, expressed once more by Lewis Hamilton, who was blunt in noting at the end of the weekend that he was “just looking forward to getting out”. That statement that will sit uncomfortably with the Saudi ambition of selling their state as a destination for the post-oil future.

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