A Saudi Aramco oil storage facility located near the Jeddah F1 track was reportedly hit by a terrorist attack just as F1 kicked off its first practice session on Friday.
Black was seen billowing in the distance as the facility was ablaze, with initial reports pointing to a missile attack launched by Yemen's rebel Houthi militia.
An F1 spokesman said: "We are waiting for further information from the authorities on what has happened."
Yemen's Houthi militia have been heavily targeting Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure since the beginning of the year with missiles and drones, which has led to heightened security around this weekend's F1 event in Jeddah.
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is located approximately 10 km from the Saudi Aramco facility that was attacked, and the burning oil could be smelt at the venue, so much so that a worried Red Bull's Max Verstappen radioed in during the session to inform his team of the smell.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
On the eve of Formula 1’s thrilling 2025 title decider in Abu Dhabi, the entire…
As Formula 1 prepares to wave goodbye to its current rule set in Abu Dhabi,…
On the eve of Formula 1’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, drivers set aside championship…
Formula 1's 2025 season hurtles toward its dramatic close this weekend in Yas Marina, with…
In a title showdown charged with tension, numbers, and a hint of intra-team intrigue, Max…
Charles Leclerc isn’t sugarcoating Ferrari’s struggles this season – but he also isn’t second-guessing the…