{"id":23185,"date":"2023-03-15T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/?p=23185"},"modified":"2023-03-18T09:33:48","modified_gmt":"2023-03-18T09:33:48","slug":"cristiano-ronaldos-representatives-dismiss-saudi-gp-obligation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formula1news.co.uk\/cristiano-ronaldos-representatives-dismiss-saudi-gp-obligation\/","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive: Cristiano Ronaldo\u2019s representatives dismiss alleged Saudi Arabian GP obligation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cristiano Ronaldo has no contractual obligation to attend this weekend\u2019s 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, representatives of the Portuguese forward have told Formula1News.co.uk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 38-year-old joined Al-Nassr FC in the Saudi Pro League from Manchester United during the winter transfer window, and it had been reported that he would be attending round two of the 2023 F1 season in Saudi Arabia as part of his lucrative mega-deal with the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, The Sports PR Company \u2013 a public relations agency which represents Ronaldo \u2013 has told Formula1News.co.uk that he will not attend the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, nor does he have any contractual obligation to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement, Ronaldo\u2019s representatives described the reports of him being forced to attend the grand prix as \u201centirely false.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ: Ferrari boss addresses Charles Leclerc crisis meeting<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier on Wednesday, London Insider cited unnamed sources<\/a> as describing the aforementioned reports as \u201cfake news\u201d and \u201cpatently false.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fake news. Any notion that Cristiano will be attending the race in Saudi Arabia as part of his deal with Al-Nassr FC is baseless and patently false,\u201d the source insisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe will not be at the grand prix or any related events over the course of the weekend,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This weekend\u2019s race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will be Saudi Arabia\u2019s third Formula 1 grand prix in as many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The track has attracted criticism in previous years due to the blind nature of some of the high-speed corners and the lack of run-off areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FIA, in coordination with the organisers of the grand prix, have made several changes to the circuit ahead of this year\u2019s race in a bid to improve driver safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast this week, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix CEO Martin Whitaker outlined some of these changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe drivers are going to be I think, really quite pleased because obviously the first time they get a chance to have a look will be when they walk around on Thursday,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut during the winter months, we\u2019ve again made some quite interesting changes to improve the sight lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, on five of the corners, we\u2019ve moved the fences back by anything between two and seven metres. So in some places, it\u2019s quite a marked change to the overall look and feel of the circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ve also removed the steel plates that we\u2019d put in on the inside of a number of the corners. The concrete barriers are effectively edged to go around a corner, so they have shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Charles #Leclerc<\/a>\u2019s fans worst fear comes true ahead of #SaudiArabianGP<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/9kKxrdzBUI<\/a><\/p>— Formula1News.co.uk (@Formula1newsUK) March 15, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>