Saudi Arabia’s New F1 Track Will Have a First Corner 20 Stories Above Ground

Saudi Arabia wants to take Formula 1 to dizzying new heights.

The Middle Eastern nation has released renderings of a new Formula 1 track under construction in the city of Qiddiya City. The dazzling circuit is expected to play host to the country’s grand prix before the end of the decade and will include 21 corners and peak at more than 20 stories in the air.

The Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, which will be held this weekend, has been part of the Formula 1 calendar since 2021. Since then, it’s been held on a street course in Jeddah, which is located along the Red Sea coast. The plan right now is for the new course, which is being constructed near the capital city of Riyadh, to host the grand prix once it’s complete, which could happen as soon as 2027, according to ESPN. And if the competition wants to add another date calendar, the chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation has as already said it wouldn’t be opposed to hosting races at both locations.

However many races Saudi Arabia ends up hosting, the Qiddiya Speed Park Track is shaping up to be the one of the most ridiculous circuits in Formula 1 history. The renderings released by the country’s press agency show a futuristic race track that looks like a very cartoonish Mario Kart track—which, one has to imagine, is the point.

It is being designed by former F1 driver Alex Wurz and veteran designer Herman Tilke and will feature 21 corners, which is more than any track other than Jeddah and Singapore, as well as over 350 feet of elevation changes. The standout feature, by far, has to be the elevated stretch heading into turn one—or “The Blade,” as it’s been dubbed—which reaches a height of more than 20 stories.

The new circuit is much more than just a race track. Instead, it will be the centerpiece of an outlandish, neon-lit entertainment complex. Qiddiya will also be home to Six Flags amusement park that will run parallel to the course and feature what is expected to be the world’s tallest race track, Falcon’s Flight, according to Motorsports Network. There is also set to be a giant concert venue that will be located beneath the track’s towering first turn.