JEDDAH: Fans at the Jeddah E-Prix were given the opportunity to meet some of motorsport’s biggest stars in person on Friday in a pit-lane walk and autograph session.
Some 21 superstar drivers were featured at the autograph session, all taking time out of their busy schedules to meet fans, have their pictures taken, and sign all kinds of memorabilia.
Hadeer Mohammed, a Saudi student who attended Jeddah’s first race of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with her friends, told Arab News that she was an enthusiast, and added: “I’m a big fan of both Formula One and Formula E and I was very happy when they announced they would host the Formula E in Jeddah.”
She said she was happy to be given the opportunity to meet the drivers, take selfies and get autographs.
She said: “I just got an autograph of Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato of Nissan.”
The Formula E drivers made themselves available at the fan zone with the teams providing photos, postcards and other goodies.
Adel Hasanain said that he arrived early in the day to interact with the motor racing icons.
He said: “It was an excellent opportunity to meet our favorite drivers. I had the chance to get a signed cap from Jake Dennis and Nico Mueller of the Andretti team, and Jean-Eric Vergne and Maximilian Guenther of DS Penske.”
Fans made the most of the opportunity to obtain autographs and take photographs.
Talal Al-Katheri, an engineering student at King Abdulaziz University, said: “It was a great moment for us today as we got the chance to meet these drivers.
“I am a fan of NEOM McLaren so I got autographs and photos of Sam Bird and Taylor Bernard.
“What a day it was, walking on the track and seeing the participating drivers up close.”
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Racing fans meet Formula E drivers at autograph session
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Racing fans meet Formula E drivers at autograph session
- 21 drivers featured at event at Jeddah’s circuit
- Enthusiast Adel Hasanain got there early to interact with motor racing icons
German football federation rules out World Cup boycott despite calls to oppose Trump
The German football federation has ruled out a boycott of the World Cup despite calls from within to send a message to US President Donald Trump.
“We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact that a FIFA World Cup can have, the federation said in a statement issued late Friday. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force — not to prevent it.”
The federation, known as the DFB, said its executive committee met and discussed the option of a boycott of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a consideration first proposed last week by DFB vice president Oke Göttlich.
Göttlich, who is also the president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, referred to Trump’s recent actions and statements and said it was time to “seriously consider” a boycott.
In what appears to be a public rebuke to Göttlich, however, the DFB said “debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public.”
The DFB said a boycott “is not currently under consideration. The DFB is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament” from June 11-July 19.
Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed it, while US actions in Venezuela and at home in dealing with protests in American cities have also raised alarm.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week advised fans to stay away from the tournament.
Fans already had concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration could also prohibit supporters from some competing nations from attending.
Germany’s team, at least, will be there.
“We want to compete fairly against the other qualified teams next summer,” the DFB said. “And we want fans worldwide to celebrate a peaceful festival of football in the stadiums and at fan zones — just as we experienced at the 2024 European Championship in our own country.”
“We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact that a FIFA World Cup can have, the federation said in a statement issued late Friday. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force — not to prevent it.”
The federation, known as the DFB, said its executive committee met and discussed the option of a boycott of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a consideration first proposed last week by DFB vice president Oke Göttlich.
Göttlich, who is also the president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, referred to Trump’s recent actions and statements and said it was time to “seriously consider” a boycott.
In what appears to be a public rebuke to Göttlich, however, the DFB said “debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public.”
The DFB said a boycott “is not currently under consideration. The DFB is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament” from June 11-July 19.
Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed it, while US actions in Venezuela and at home in dealing with protests in American cities have also raised alarm.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week advised fans to stay away from the tournament.
Fans already had concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration could also prohibit supporters from some competing nations from attending.
Germany’s team, at least, will be there.
“We want to compete fairly against the other qualified teams next summer,” the DFB said. “And we want fans worldwide to celebrate a peaceful festival of football in the stadiums and at fan zones — just as we experienced at the 2024 European Championship in our own country.”
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