As Hamilton starts from 15th on the grid, Schumacher shows he’s okay after the crash

Sports Minister responds to objections from drivers

Saudi Arabian authorities would have canceled the Gulf Kingdom’s Formula 1 race if there had been a security threat following an attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis on an oil storage facility near the track in Jeddah, the country’s sport minister said.

The Houthi group said Friday it had launched attacks on Saudi energy facilities.

One of the targets was a petroleum products distribution station for state-owned oil giant Aramco, located about 10 km east of the route.

The strike, which followed similar attacks last Sunday, raised questions about whether the race should go ahead.

Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal told reporters: “If there is a threat then rest assured we will cancel the race but there is no threat and we have discussed that with everyone.

“Obviously safety is a bigger issue for everyone than just hosting a race, even if it’s the size of Formula 1, so the safety of the city, the safety of the kingdom, is a top priority.”