The Saudi Arabian GP has been heavily criticised for a number of reasons since it was first introduced in the F1 calendar, including the human rights violations perpetuated by their government and the dangerousness of the "fastest street circuit" in the calendar.

In spite of the modifications implemented since last year, significant crashes, including Schumacher's 33G impact in the wall, kept happening throughout the weekend. Multiple drivers have expressed their displeasure with racing in the country and on the track, including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

An even stronger motive to call off the race was the missile attack that happened on Friday. During the first practice session, a central 10 km from the track was hit, with flames and smoke clearly visibile from the paddock. 

After a four hours meeting in the night involving drivers, team principals and FIA representatives, it was  agreed to go on with the race as planned. F1's CEO Stefano Domenicali defended the choice in an interview to Sky Sports: "Well, I think that what we did yesterday, it was done properly."

"When you have to manage such a situation, I think that you need to divide the emotion with the rational aspect of it and try to manage all the information that you have to try to make the right assessment, and to involve the right of all the right people in that decision."

Domenicali remarked the importance of having received strong confirmations on safety for everyone at the track, and sharing such information with all parts involved:

"As you know, there's been a lot of discussion, a lot of debate, but safety and security for all the people who are in our world is at the maximum level of attention to us, and there's no discussion about it, it's just the first priority."

"And of course, when you talk with the right authority, they have the responsibility for that, in terms of the Minister of Defense, the internal security. When we have received all the reassurance that everything was under control and properly managed, we need to rely on that because they have the responsibility for that. We inform the teams and the drivers, and we move on."

Asked if F1 would return to the controversial location in the future amidst these concerns, the CEO appears open to the idea:

"I think that it is a matter of understanding the situation. We are not blind, but we don't have to forget one thing, that this country, also through F1 we believe is a massive step forward. You can't pretend to change your culture that is more than millennial in a blink of an eye, but there is shows that they're putting in place to to move forward. You see it here, don't forget, a couple of years ago women can couldn't drive and now they're here on the grid, cheering with their kids."

"Of course, there are tension inside, there are things that have to be improved. We don't want to be political on that, but I do believe that we are playing a very important role in the organization of this country."

According to him, the situation in Saudi Arabia is "different" to the ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine, which had prompted the cancellation of the Russian GP,  as "the country isn't involved in a war", in spite of "the images being pretty similar" to "what's shown in the tv":"It is a matter of definition, is a terrorist attack a war? We don't have to be emotional over it."

"Rationality over anything," Domenicali remarked in the end, highlighting the need for the sport to follow on its program regardless of what happened just out of the track.

He concluded explaining the "morality" behind the decisions taken on the past days, as F1 has an important role in his vision:

"No one can judge our morality, to be honest. It is a matter of putting in place all the things that have to be considered.

“Where is the line? That is the question. Our position, and it will always be, is that we believe that what we’re doing will have a very positive impact in all the political situations for the best of our life and at all levels.”

“This will always be the consideration we will take for our future in the sport, all over the world.”