Saudis reassure nervous F1 drivers after attacks

Smoke and flames rise from a Saudi Aramco oil facility in the coastal city of Jeddah, following a Yemeni rebel attack late Friday. The attack took place not far from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit where the Saudi Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday evening. (AFP Photo)

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia pledged maximum security to reassure rattled Formula One drivers as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was set to go ahead on Sunday despite an attack on an oil facility nearby by Houthi rebels from Yemen.

The drivers expressed their concerns over the attack, which sent black smoke billowing over the area and was part of a wave of drone and missile assaults that triggered retaliatory air strikes on rebel strongholds.