An explosion occurred at an Aramco oil plant - located around seven miles from the Jed💟dah Corniche Circuit - during opening practice for this weekend’s second round of the 2022 F1 season, with black plumes of smoke seen billowing from the🌊 track as the session drew to a close. 

Yemen’s Houthis rebel group have claimed responsibility for launching missiles and drones on the facility, which they d༺escribed as a “third siege-break𝐆ing operation” in the past two weeks. 

Second practice got underway following a 15 minute delay after F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation with t🐓he teams and drivers. A second meeting took place after FP2, with a Saudi delegation also in attendance.  

Domenicali in🧸sisted F1 had received “total assurance” about safety from Saudi authorities and confirmed the race would go ahead. 

“We’ve received total assurances that the country’s safety comes first, no matter the situation, safety has to be guaranteed,” Domenical🅺i said. 

“They are here with their families, so they have in place all the systems to protect this area, th🍃e same with the place where we’re going. So we have to ܫtrust the local authorities in that respect and, therefore, of course, we go ahead with the event.”

Asked if all the teams were in agreement, Domenica♊li replied: “Yes, we’re⛄ all together on this. 

“It’s something that is reᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚlevant for all of us, and we need to trust the local authorities, not only here, all around the world, because if that’s not the case we will be in a situation that is not manageable.”

It is understood t🧔hat several drivers have expressed concerns about the safety of the event.

But Ben Sulayem stressed that the Jeddah Circuit is not under threat of being targeted 🥀by the attac🤡kers. 

“♛We had meetings with the high level security officials, then we had meetings with the team principals and the drivers,” he said. 

“I mean, who are they targeting? They are targetinꦑg the economic infrastructure, not the civilians and, of course, not the trac✃k.

“Of course we have checked the facts from them and we have had assurances𒈔 from the high authorities of the safety here and let’s go racing.

“For sure all the ﷽families are here, we are only looking forward but with an assurance that nothing is goiꦯng to happen.” 

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said 𓃲the teams had been provided safety assurances. 

“The sport has to stand together collectively,” he told Sky Sport🐈💎s F1. “Any act of terrorism cannot be condoned and sport shouldn’t be bullied… A situation like that isn’t acceptable. 

"Stefano and the president are dealing wi🃏th it, there’s been all the assurance from th🏅e organisers and we’ll be going racing.” 

Also speaking to Sky, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff stated: “It was a good meeting. We as team principals we have been assure🅺d that we are protected here. [The circuit] is probably the safest place where you can be in Saudi Arabia at the moment.”