2023 Saudi Arabian F1 GP: Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo under no obligation to attend the race despite rumors

Soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly under no obligation to attend the 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP despite rumors. The Portuguese star was rumored to be contractually bound to attend the event as part of his new deal with the Saudi Arabian soccer club Al-Nassr.

Ronaldo may or may not show up for the race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit this weekend and is not contractually obligated to do so. The soccer star left his former club Manchester United in December and joined the Riyadh-based club Al-Nassr in a £173-million-per-year contract.

Mirror Football has reported that the former Real Madrid player is unlikely to attend the F1 event as he will be on international duty with his home team Portugal.

Ronaldo is no stranger to the world of F1, having attended the 2019 Monaco GP, where he took a picture with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner visited the Ferrari factory in Maranello in 2021 and met Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

The 2022 Saudi Arabian GP is set to be one full of action as Max Verstappen looks to continue his championship advantage over his rivals. Given the smoother tarmac in Jeddah, rival teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari are expected to perform better than in Bahrain.

Australian GP set to be the fastest-ever F1 race

With the addition of an extra DRS zone on the iconic track, the 2023 Australian Grand Prix is set to become the fastest-ever F1 GP. While the new DRS zone was trialed last year, it was ultimately removed for the main race.

The track at Albert Park underwent significant modifications for its 2022 return, resulting in a faster semi-street circuit. This year's event will feature a fourth DRS zone that will extend from Turns 8 to 9, adding to the excitement for the entire weekend.

Currently, no other track in the racing calendar utilizes more than three DRS zones, making the fourth zone of the Australian Grand Prix unique. The new DRS zone's primary goal is to facilitate safe and efficient overtaking opportunities for drivers.

With top speeds potentially reaching 340km/h on the 5.278km circuit, the upcoming Australian Grand Prix is anticipated to be the fastest in Melbourne's history, according to Andrew Westacott, the event's CEO.

Only time will tell whether the new changes to the iconic street circuit will be successful.