Masi confident Jeddah track will be completed on time

FIA race director Michael Masi acknowledged that a huge amount of work remains to be done at Jeddah, but the Aussie is confident that the Saudi Arabian track will be completed in time for next month's event.

Saudi Arabia will make its grand entry onto the Formula 1 scene on December 5, with the streets of Jeddah hosting the country's maiden Grand Prix.

The 6km circuit which has been laid out on a recently developed corniche area north of Jeddah, and is expecting to be the fastest street circuit in the history of F1 with lap time predictions set at an average speed of 252 km/h.

However, recent pictures and video of the track's construction site published by F1's broadcast team showed an infrastructure and pit building complex that looked far from finished.

But Masi played down concerns that the venue's construction is running late and could jeopardise next month's race.

"There is a lot going on there," said Masi last weekend in Mexico City. "There is a huge amount of work happening.

"The FIA and F1 are getting daily updates of where things are at, and it’s progressing very, very quickly.

"Yes, there’s a lot to do – there’s nothing to deny there, I think everyone will acknowledge there’s a lot to do – but I’m still confident of the race going ahead, no problems."

• Read also: Jeddah will be 'one of the best circuits in the world' – Tilke

Masi, who recently visited Jeddah to see for himself how the circuit's construction was going, was involved in the past as an FIA official with pervious track projects, such as the construction of the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, South Korea, and India's Buddh International Circuit.

"I think there’s always an element of worrying with everything but I’m quite confident," said Masi.

"Particularly having been involved in Korea in 2010 which was the last one that was talked about. And I think India was talked about and both of those went off, no problems at all, and I’m quite confident that Saudi will be exactly the same.

"There are areas absolutely complete, the quality of work is first class. They will finish, I have confidence," added Masi who is due to make one final trip to Jeddah either before or after the Qatar Grand Prix.

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