A Saudi Arabian-owned team could soon be on the cards based on the growth shown by Formula 1, according to the chairman of the country’s motorsports federation.

Saudi influence in F1 has increased markedly in recent years, with the grand prix in Jeddah joining the calendar in 2021, and a new track at Qiddiya currently under constructions. Aramco is also a global partner of F1 alongside being the title partner of Aston Martin, where there is an ownership stake currently up for sale as Aston Martin Lagonda looks to offload its shareholding.

Given the fact that most recent Concorde Agreement allows for 12 teams, and Cadillac’s entry in 2026 will take the number up to 11, then there is a slot on the grid for a new team, or for a takeover of an existing constructor.

“I mean, it could happen,” Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal said. “It could happen soon if you see the growth, first of all. If you’re going to buy a Formula 1 team, then people will buy it to make money out of it, especially if it’s going to be bought by one of the PIF (Public Investment Fund) companies.

“So we see there is a lot of [growth], now Formula 1 is reaching new markets, the sales are globally increasing. We saw the partnership with Aramco and Aston Martin. So, all directions say that maybe soon Saudi can, if they see if it’s feasible, if it makes sense, then why not?

“Nobody dislikes making money, so if you can make money out of Formula 1, but I think it’s very tricky. You need to know exactly which team to buy and who to partner with and who will manage this.

“It’s very difficult because you see Formula 1 became very competitive and there’s a lot of changes in the regulations. We saw [the change that] is going to come in 2026 and the talks about Formula 1 going back to the V10 engines – naturally-aspirated engines – so the decision is very difficult.

“It’s not easy to say which team to buy and how you’re going to manage it. But we have a lot of interest. They’re sponsoring, we’re hosting a Formula 1 race, we’re sponsoring teams, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an announcement for a Saudi team.

“And personally, I would like to see a Saudi team, but if Saudi Arabia, or one of the Saudi companies will be involved in one of the teams, I would like them to do it the right way and be successful. So it’s a tricky question, but why not?”

Prince Khalid would also like to see the future Qiddiya circuit be an additional race alongside the existing event in Jeddah if possible, but says no discussions have been held with F1 on that front, with the original plan to move the Saudi Arabian race to the new venue outside Riyadh.

“Saudi Arabia as a country, we would like to host two races. Jeddah and Riyadh, they are two different regions and two different markets. And Saudi Arabia, it’s a very big market. But is it feasible? And can we do two races given the complicated calendar?

“We know that we have a market for it in Saudi Arabia, but it’s something that we haven’t thought about. Let’s see what the demand will be when we move to Riyadh and maybe discuss it once we move to Riyadh and see if we can still maintain to have two races, which I really doubt that… All the teams, everybody’s complaining about [the number of races], and we have already four races in the Middle East.

“But, personally, I would like to see two races in Saudi. We know that the United States have three races after Las Vegas was introduced. Saudi Arabia is a very big country. I mean, it can happen, but will it happen? It’s too early to discuss this now.”

On the eve of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the chairman of the country’s motorsports federation has suggested it is only a matter of time before the Middle East country “buys” a Formula 1 team.

Saudi Arabia joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2021, the same year Qatar made its debut, and this season the Jeddah Corniche circuit will play host to round five of the F1 2025 championship.

It is one of four Middle East countries that today have a permanent position on the Formula 1 calendar, but unlike Bahrain, they don’t own a Formula 1 team.

Two years ago, Mumtalakat, the sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain, took full ownership of the McLaren Group, including the Formula 1 team.

Saudi Arabia could follow suit depending on the viability of owning a Formula 1 team, after all, “nobody dislikes making money”.

However, buying a Formula 1 team would cost Saudi Arabia a pretty penny as it’s been estimated the every team, even those at the back of the grid, are worth at least £1 billion. And none of the teams’ owners seem keen to sell at this moment in time.

“I mean, it could happen,” Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal said as per Racer. “It could happen soon if you see the growth, first of all.

“If you’re going to buy a Formula 1 team, then people will buy it to make money out of it, especially if it’s going to be bought by one of the PIF (Public Investment Fund) companies.

​​​​​​​The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix’s move to the new track in Qiddiya, the entertainment and tourism ‘megaproject’ dubbed “the world’s first city built for play” currently in construction just outside Riyadh, could be pushed back to as late as 2029, with the Jeddah Corniche Circuit continuing to host the race for as long as required.

The Qiddiya track, designed by former F1 driver Alex Wurz and Wurz Design, is scheduled for completion in 2027.

The original intention was for the circuit to take over the hosting of the race in 2024, but when plans for Qiddiya expanded that was delayed.

The precise timeline is still uncertain, given it’s not simply a case of building the track, which will be ready in two years’ time, but also the status of work elsewhere on the site that measures almost 400 square kilometres.

“The track is going to be ready in ’27, so it’s going to be determined by the other surrounding projects [in terms of] if you’re going to be finished on time or there’s going to be, [because] sometimes in these megaprojects there are, delays,” said Saudi Motorsport Company chairman Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal when asked by The Race about the timeline for the move.

“We're not in a rush to move from Jeddah. If everything goes well and we feel comfortable, and Formula 1 feels comfortable going there, we think not before '27, so we're thinking about '28, maybe '29. But next year, we'll have a better understanding on when exactly we can move there.”

Jeddah was originally conceived as a short-term home for the event when it became clear that initial plans for the Qiddiya track to host the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix would have to be postponed. It was constructed in double-quick time to allow the first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to be staged in 2021.

Although notionally a street track, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is purpose-built and efforts have been made to expand its use with other racing categories, notably Formula E.

It will continue to be an active circuit once Qiddiya is ready, which has led to suggestions that it could be used for a second F1 race in Saudi Arabia, or even rotate with Qiddiya. The latter option, however, seems unlikely given the investment in Qiddiya.

“To have two races or rotate between Qiddiya and Jeddah, it is too early to discuss,” said Prince Khalid.

“Our main focus now is to enjoy what’s remaining in Jeddah and look forward to move to the new facility in Qiddiya and take things forward from there when we reach that point. But it's too early, we have nothing in plan.

“It has been said in the media a couple of years ago about having two races in Saudi Arabia. I don't think with the calendar now it's something possible and we haven't actually discussed this idea between us.”

Although it’s true the calendar is congested, Saudi Arabia has the spending power to make two races – one in Jeddah on the Red Sea in the west and the other to the east near capital Riyadh – possible. The belief is there would be enough interest to make both races work.

“We would like to host two races. Jeddah and Riyadh are two different regions and two different markets – and Saudi Arabia is a very big market,” said Prince Khalid.

“But is it feasible given the complicated calendar?”

“We know that we have a market in Saudi Arabia, but it's something that we haven't thought about. Let's see what the demand will be when we move to Riyadh and maybe discuss it once we move to Riyadh and see if we can have two races, which I really doubt [as] some [argue] we have already four races in the Middle East.

“But I personally would like to see two races in Saudi. The United States has three races after Las Vegas was introduced. Saudi Arabia is a very big country. It can happen, but will it happen? It's too early to discuss this.”

This weekend’s Saudi Arabian GP in Jeddah will be the fifth to be staged. The track remains unchanged from last year, although there has been further development in the general area designed to draw more people to the Corniche area to use the various facilities, which extend far beyond the racing activities.

Prince Khalid added that if there is “strong demand” for a race to continue to be hosted there then it would be possible to do so either as a second race or on a rotational basis.