{"id":358082,"date":"2026-04-01T06:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T06:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/358082\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T06:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T06:03:09","slug":"saudi-arabias-staggering-20-storey-f1-corner-takes-shape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/358082\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia\u2019s staggering 20-storey F1 corner takes shape"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/HErvkFUXkAATdPr-1.jpg\" alt=\"Saudi Arabia\u2019s staggering 20-storey F1 corner takes shape\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConstruction of &#8216;The Blade&#8217; has progressed at Qiddiya.<\/p>\n<p>The development outside Riyadh has reached one of its most striking features, as work begins on the circuit\u2019s towering signature corner known as The Blade.<\/p>\n<p>Designed with input from former F1 driver Alexander Wurz, the track is headlined by the elevated section that will rise to the height of a 20-storey building.<\/p>\n<p>The corner will form part of a layout featuring 108 metres of elevation change, creating a dramatic, rollercoaster-style lap unlike anything currently on the calendar.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/speedcafe.com\/details-emerge-of-mario-kart-f1-track\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The project remains part of the wider Qiddiya City development<\/a>, a major element of Saudi Arabia\u2019s long-term Vision 2030 strategy, with the circuit integrated into a sprawling entertainment and sporting complex that will also include theme parks and a stadium for the 2034 men\u2019s FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Qiddiya circuit March update<\/p>\n<p>Turn 1 and hotel section tunnel<\/p>\n<p>We are seeing first metal deck slab surfacing for the 20 stories high turn 1 \ud83c\udfd7\ufe0f<\/p>\n<p>Set to host Saudi GP in 2028 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RE6AjsgZNL\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/t.co\/RE6AjsgZNL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LmFq2wcY4c\" rel=\"nofollow\">pic.twitter.com\/LmFq2wcY4c<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ahmed baokbah \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\udfce\ufe0f\ud83d\udee9\ufe0f (@ahmed_baokbah) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ahmed_baokbah\/status\/2038705196037992558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">March 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>From its earliest unveiling, the Qiddiya layout has drawn attention for its bold concept, with 21 corners, high-speed sections, and dramatic elevation changes earning comparisons to the Mario Kart track Rainbow Road.<\/p>\n<p>Large portions of the track will run alongside major attractions within the complex, including a record-breaking rollercoaster, reinforcing its positioning as a spectacle-driven venue.<\/p>\n<p>Driver reaction to the concept has already highlighted its potential to stand out on the calendar, with Lando Norris previously dubbing the venue as looking \u201cpretty crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s what Saudi do, so full respect to them for coming up with some crazy things and trying to make it as cool as what it looks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have a lot of places which are nowhere near as lively and as fun.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, if you want people to be attracted to the sport in general, you don\u2019t want it just to be a track in the middle of nowhere that no one goes to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Originally targeted for completion earlier in the decade, the circuit is now scheduled to be finished in 2027, with a debut F1 race planned for 2028, replacing the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which has hosted the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix since 2021.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Construction of &#8216;The Blade&#8217; has progressed at Qiddiya. The development outside Riyadh has reached one of its most&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":358083,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,189047,213],"class_list":["post-358082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-saudi-arabian-gp","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=358082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/358083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=358082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=358082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=358082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}