The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is Formula 1’s fastest street race, held on the 6.17 km Jeddah Corniche Circuit along the Red Sea in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is a floodlit night race with 27 corners and average lap speeds near 250 km/h, and it has featured on the F1 calendar every season since 2021. Ticket tiers run from general admission to premium grandstand hospitality.
Where and when is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix held?
The race is staged at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a temporary street track laid out along the seafront in Jeddah on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. It runs as a floodlit evening event, which keeps cars on track during the cooler part of the day and produces some of the most striking night-race images on the calendar. In the 2026 F1 schedule the Saudi round is an early-season event, continuing an unbroken run of Jeddah races that began in 2021.
Why is Jeddah the fastest street circuit in Formula 1?
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is the longest and fastest street circuit in Formula 1. It measures about 6.17 km, second only to Belgium’s Spa among current tracks, and packs in 27 corners, most of them flat-out or barely lifted. Cars average close to 250 km/h across a lap, with the fastest laps of the first race clocking just under 245 km/h. That combination of high speed and close concrete walls makes it one of the most demanding and spectacular tests on the calendar.
- Length: ~6.17 km (second-longest on the F1 calendar)
- Corners: 27 (16 left, 11 right)
- Character: High-speed floodlit street circuit beside the Red Sea
- First race: 2021
The venue sits within the Gulf’s growing motorsport map, alongside Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina and Bahrain’s Sakhir. Our wider Formula 1 in the Gulf guide covers how the three regional rounds compare.
What are the ticket options?
Tickets are sold in tiers to suit different budgets. General admission gives access across the race weekend with standing views of the circuit, while numbered grandstands offer reserved seats at key corners and along the main straight. Premium and hospitality packages add shaded seating, food and drink, and elevated views, sometimes from rooftop lounges overlooking the track. Prices rise the closer the seat is to the action and the more hospitality is included, so early booking is the surest way to secure the better-value tiers.
| Ticket tier | What it typically includes |
|---|---|
| General admission | Weekend access, standing circuit views |
| Grandstand | Reserved seat at a specific corner or straight |
| Premium / hospitality | Shaded seating, catering, elevated or rooftop views |
What entertainment is on offer?
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is built as a full weekend festival, not just a race. Post-session concerts by major international artists are a fixture, drawing crowds who may come as much for the music as the motorsport. Combined with fan zones, food outlets and the seafront setting, the event has become one of the region’s marquee entertainment dates, in line with Saudi Arabia’s wider push to grow live events and tourism.
What travel tips help first-time visitors?
Jeddah is served by King Abdulaziz International Airport, well connected across the Gulf and beyond, and the Corniche circuit is close to the city’s hotels. Race-goers should plan for warm weather, book accommodation early because rooms sell out around the event, and confirm visa arrangements in advance; Saudi Arabia’s tourist e-visa has made short trips far easier than in the past. Many fans pair the race with a wider Saudi itinerary, and our Jeddah cost-of-living guide gives a sense of day-to-day prices.
What is the future Qiddiya circuit plan?
Saudi Arabia is building a permanent home for its Grand Prix at Qiddiya, a giant entertainment city near Riyadh. The Qiddiya Speed Park Track, designed by Hermann Tilke with input from former F1 driver Alex Wurz, is planned to host the Saudi race from the 2028 World Championship. Its headline feature is a dramatic first corner, nicknamed The Blade, rising around 70 metres, and the layout is expected to allow speeds even higher than Jeddah. Until then, the Corniche circuit remains the face of Saudi F1.
FAQ
Is the Jeddah circuit the fastest street track in F1?
Yes. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is the fastest and longest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar, with average lap speeds close to 250 km/h.
How long is the Jeddah Corniche Circuit?
The track is about 6.17 km long with 27 corners, making it the second-longest circuit in Formula 1 after Spa-Francorchamps.
When did Jeddah first host F1?
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit hosted its first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021 and has featured on the calendar every year since.
Will the Saudi Grand Prix move from Jeddah?
Saudi Arabia plans to move the race to the new Qiddiya Speed Park Track near Riyadh from the 2028 season, with Jeddah hosting until then.
Bottom line: The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix pairs the fastest street circuit in Formula 1 with a seafront setting, big-name concerts and easy Gulf access, making Jeddah one of the region’s standout sporting weekends. Fans who want to experience the Corniche layout should plan while it lasts, as the race is set to move to Qiddiya from 2028.
