Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes to launch experience center dedicated to German automotive brand

Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes to launch experience center dedicated to German automotive brand
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QIC, Mercedes-AMG and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team have partnered to open an experience center dedicated to the iconic automotive brand in Qiddiya City. (Supplied)
Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes to launch experience center dedicated to German automotive brand
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QIC, Mercedes-AMG and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team have partnered to open an experience center dedicated to the iconic automotive brand in Qiddiya City. (Supplied)
Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes to launch experience center dedicated to German automotive brand
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QIC, Mercedes-AMG and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team have partnered to open an experience center dedicated to the iconic automotive brand in Qiddiya City. (Supplied)
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Updated 3 min 37 sec ago
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Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes to launch experience center dedicated to German automotive brand

Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes to launch experience center dedicated to German automotive brand
  • Partners announce a game-changing long-term collaboration to create the Mercedes-AMG World of Performance in Qiddiya City
  • Set to excite performance car and motorsports fans across the globe, the state-of-the-art venue will deliver an unrivalled selection of immersive experiences

AFFALTERBACH/QIDDIYA CITY: Qiddiya Investment Company, Mercedes-AMG and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team have announced a game-changing partnership to open a world-class experience center dedicated to the iconic German automotive brand in Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City.

Spanning approximately 45,000 sqm, Mercedes-AMG World of Performance will be among the largest attractions of its kind in the region. Featuring numerous highly immersive attractions and exhibits focused on Mercedes-AMG and its eight-time World Constructors’ Champion F1 Team, it is set to welcome visitors within this decade. Across nine floors of adrenaline-fueled experiences, visitors will be able to dive into the excitement and thrill of the performance car brand like never before.

The news, unveiled by the involved parties today, is set to excite racing enthusiasts and Mercedes-AMG fans across the world, elevating Qiddiya City’s position as one of the world’s leading motorsports destinations.

The ambitious project is supported by Juffali Automotive Company (JACO), distributor for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars in Saudi Arabia, which will also contribute to bringing the project to life.

“To partner with one of the world’s most iconic brands, including one of the most successful Formula 1 teams in history, on a project that will bring joy to racing fans across the world is hugely exciting. This unique performance and motorsports center will offer immersive experiences like nowhere else in the world, positioning Qiddiya City as the home of Saudi motorsport and a bucket list sporting destination where play comes to life,” said Abdullah Aldawood, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company.

Expected to attract millions of visitors a year, the World of Performance will sit alongside Qiddiya City’s highly anticipated Speed Park Track — a fast-flowing racetrack that is set to host an impressive roster of the world’s most prestigious racing events while incorporating some of racing’s most distinctive track design features.

Marking the debut of the first-ever Mercedes-AMG World of Performance, the experience center will immerse visitors in the brand’s rich heritage, celebrate its racing pedigree, and showcase its engineering excellence alongside the performance car brand’s latest innovations.

Among the center’s marquee attractions will be a cutting-edge dark ride, taking guests on a high-speed journey through the evolution of performance, featuring some of the most legendary Mercedes-Benz race cars of all times.

Adrenaline seekers will be able to step into the shoes of a professional racing driver in pole position on the grid, experiencing intense G-force as they are catapulted toward the first corner of a Grand Prix. Race enthusiasts can also dive into the drama of a Formula One race, witnessing what happens behind the scenes with an up-close view of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.

Visitors will also enjoy the unique advantage of the experience center’s prime location — right on the start-finish straight of Speed Park Track, with direct access to the future F1 venue. Real-world track experiences will allow visitors to hone their driving skills under the guidance of expert instructors on this exciting new circuit. They will get to push the latest Mercedes-AMG models to their limits, including tackling the iconic “Blade” at Turn One — a heart-stopping elevated section of circuit that dramatically rises more than 20 stories above the ground.

“We are incredibly excited to announce this major new collaboration with Qiddiya Investment Company, formalising a relationship that has been years in the making, and supported by our trusted partners in KSA, Juffali Automotive. Formula One is a unique sport, and we have been working with world leading experts for several years to ensure that this venue gets fans closer to our team, and the sport as a whole, than ever before. Qiddiya City is a cornerstone of the ambitious Vision 2030 plans, and it’s set to become a motorsport destination like no other. We are proud to play our part in this and look forward to welcoming our local and international fans in the years ahead,” said Toto Wolff, Co-Owner, CEO & Team Principal of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.

“The Mercedes-AMG World of Performance marks a bold new chapter for AMG, elevating our passion for performance, innovation, and racing to new heights. This destination will celebrate our AMG’s rich racing heritage as well as the thrill and adrenaline that defines our brand. Guests will get to experience this up close, whether through immersive attractions in the experience center or exclusive driving experiences on Speed Park Track, said Michael Schiebe, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

“We are thrilled to be part of Qiddiya’s legacy in a setting that reflects our shared values of history, luxury and pioneering innovative experiences. Bringing the first world-leading motorsport experience center with Mercedes-AMG, not only showcases our commitment to serving our customers and advancing motorsport in the Kingdom but also aims to provide unparalleled experiences for motorsport enthusiasts. This aligns perfectly with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, as we strive to enhance the nation’s entertainment offerings through the growth of the automotive and the motorsport industry,” said Khaled Juffali, Chairman of Juffali Group.

The center will feature more than 60 state-of-the art simulators alongside a Motion 4D Simulator Theatre, while younger fans will be able to enjoy interactive learning experiences including designing their dream race car and practicing teamwork in a pit garage.

The experience center will also boast a roof-top VIP lounge overlooking the Speed Park Track, offering fine dining and some of the best panoramic views across Qiddiya City and the iconic Tuwaiq Mountains.

The strategic partnership between Qiddiya Investment Company and Mercedes-AMG is a significant step in Qiddiya City’s progress, positioning it at the forefront of motorsports experiences globally. The city’s unparalleled motorsports offering, including the Speed Park Track and a range of other attractions that are set to be unveiled over the next 12 months, will be a central driving force behind its development into a global destination for entertainment, sports and culture based on the power of play.


Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate

Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate
Updated 2 min 21 sec ago
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Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate

Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate
  • Serhou Guirassy missed a second-half penalty
  • Dortmund dominated much of the return leg on a freezing night in Germany

DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League after a goalless draw with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday sealed a 3-0 aggregate victory.
Serhou Guirassy missed a second-half penalty but it mattered for nothing in the end as last season’s finalists were rarely troubled by Sporting and coasted through.
Dortmund’s reward is a last 16 game against Aston Villa or Lille.
It was always a tough ask for this young Sporting side ravaged by injury to overturn the damage done in last week’s first leg, when Guirassy, Pascal Gross and Karim Adeyemi all scored.
Dortmund dominated much of the return leg on a freezing night in Germany, with Marcel Sabitzer coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a rasping drive from distance that Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva did well to palm around his post.
After the break, Dortmund got the chance to put the tie to bed from the spot when Silva was adjudged to have brought down Adeyemi in the box after Nico Schlotterbeck’s long pass split the visitors’ defense.
But Guirassy’s well-hit penalty was saved superbly by the Portuguese goalkeeper low to his right, denying the Guinean striker an 11th Champions League goal in 10 games this season.
Gio Reyna came off the bench and almost made an immediate impact against the Portuguese league leaders, hitting the post, but this was a night when Dortmund created little and Sporting even less, with the visitors failing to register a single shot on target.
Ultimately, Sporting lacked the ambition to turn around the tie, allowing Niko Kovac’s side to progress on the back of a relatively easy night’s work.


Raducanu says ‘I’ll be OK’ after man removed from stands at Dubai tournament

Raducanu says ‘I’ll be OK’ after man removed from stands at Dubai tournament
Updated 56 min 54 sec ago
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Raducanu says ‘I’ll be OK’ after man removed from stands at Dubai tournament

Raducanu says ‘I’ll be OK’ after man removed from stands at Dubai tournament
  • “Thank you for the messages of support. Difficult experience yesterday but I’ll be okay and proud of how I came back and competed,” Raducanu wrote
  • WTA issued a statement explaining that Raducanu was approached in a public space Monday “by a man who exhibited fixated behavior”

DUBAI: Emma Raducanu said she will be OK after what she called a “difficult experience” related to the presence of a man who had exhibited “fixated behavior” toward her at the Dubai Championships.
The 2021 US Open champion had approached the chair umpire early in her second-round match against 14th-seeded Karolina Muchova on Tuesday night. She was in tears, and the WTA later linked her reaction to the presence of the unidentified man.
On Wednesday, the 22-year-old British player responded with a statement on her Instagram account.
“Thank you for the messages of support. Difficult experience yesterday but I’ll be okay and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match,” Raducanu wrote. “Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
Raducanu, who was still a teenager in 2022 when a man in Britain was convicted of stalking her, returned to play after a brief delay at 2-0 down and eventually lost 7-6 (6), 6-4 to Muchova.
Early Wednesday, the WTA issued a statement explaining that Raducanu was approached in a public space Monday “by a man who exhibited fixated behavior” and “this same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday ... and subsequently ejected.”
“He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.”
The chair umpire called tournament organizers immediately when Raducanu reported her concerns in the first set of the night match, and Muchova walked over to console her opponent.
Raducanu then picked up a towel, wiped her face, nodded and continued the match. She didn’t immediately comment on the incident.
The WTA said it was working with Raducanu and her team “to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support.”
Raducanu rose to fame in 2021 by winning the US Open as a qualifier, one of the most unlikely achievements in tennis. She hasn’t advanced past the third round at a major since then and has spent long stints recovering from injuries.


’It’s a joke’ as Tour of Algarve riders take road to nowhere

’It’s a joke’ as Tour of Algarve riders take road to nowhere
Updated 19 February 2025
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’It’s a joke’ as Tour of Algarve riders take road to nowhere

’It’s a joke’ as Tour of Algarve riders take road to nowhere
  • With around 800m left on the opening stage, most of the peloton took a right-hand exit
  • “It’s a joke! It’s completely ridiculous!” said Austrian rider Marco Haller

PARIS: The Tour of the Algarve was branded as “ridiculous” and a “joke” on Wednesday when a pack of riders took the wrong road and completely missed the finish line.
With around 800m left on the opening stage, most of the peloton took a right-hand exit, reserved for officials and team cars, at a roundabout instead of the left which headed to the finish.
Only around 30 riders chose the correct route including Filippo Ganna who came home ahead of Frenchman Romain Gregoire and Jan Christen of Switzerland.
However, their joy was short-lived as the stage was swiftly canceled and Ganna’s career wins total remains at 33.
“It’s a joke! It’s completely ridiculous!” said Austrian rider Marco Haller who blamed the chaos on the lack of clear signage at the entry to the right-hand lane.
“The diversion was not blocked off. As a result, the riders followed the motorcycle (of the organization). There could have been consequences... Fortunately, that was not the case.”
Belgium’s Jordi Meeus, for whom Haller “had ridden for 190 kilometers,” railed at having been deprived of a stage win.
“I only realized 200 meters from the line that there was a problem when we passed police motorcycles. It’s a shame this missed opportunity. The main thing is that no spectator was injured,” he told Flemish website Sporza.


‘Classy’ Gill key for Champions Trophy, says India captain

‘Classy’ Gill key for Champions Trophy, says India captain
Updated 19 February 2025
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‘Classy’ Gill key for Champions Trophy, says India captain

‘Classy’ Gill key for Champions Trophy, says India captain
  • Tournament favorites India begin Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday 
  • Vice-captain Gill was Player of the Series against England, scoring one century and two-half centuries

DUBAI: India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday said he hopes “classy” batter Shubman Gill carries his blazing form into the Champions Trophy.
Tournament favorites India begin their campaign against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday fresh from a 3-0 ODI sweep of England at home.
India then play arch-rivals Pakistan in a Sunday blockbuster.
Vice-captain Gill was the player of the series against England with 259 runs including one century and two half-tons to return to form after a lean Test series in Australia.
“Gill is a very classy player, there was never a doubt about his ability in this squad,” Rohit said of his deputy.
“We tend to mix formats and I don’t think that’s the right way to judge any player. With Gill, we know the numbers are crazy, he has been superb for us in the last three-four years.”
He added, “Obviously there is a reason that he has been elevated to be the vice-captain of the team as well, hopefully he has a great tournament and it eventually will help us achieve the things that we are looking to achieve.”
Focus will be on Rohit, who opens the batting with Gill, and star batsman Virat Kohli with the future of the two stalwarts being the talking point ahead of the 50-over tournament.
Both Rohit and Kohli had a poor run with the bat in India’s 3-1 Test defeat in Australia but came good in the England ODIs.
The 37-year-old Rohit hit 119 in the second match and Kohli (36), who comes to bat at number three, scored 52 in the third to answer critics.
Rohit said India’s top-order has enough experience to post big totals.
“The key to have success in this format, your top three-four-five batsmen need to get that big score for you to post a big score eventually,” said Rohit.
“So I think our top four batters are quite experienced and we know that once they are set, once they are in, they like to get those big runs.”
The return of pace bowler Mohammed Shami has boosted the morale of the team, especially in the absence of ace quick Jasprit Bumrah, who is out with a back injury.
Shami, 34, returned to international cricket in the England white-ball series after more than a year due to a heel injury and claimed five wickets in two T20 and two ODI matches.
“All we wanted with Shami was to get back wearing the Indian colors more than anything else,” said Rohit.
“Whether he gets wickets or not, that was completely immaterial for us at that point. When you talk about a bowler like Shami who has done the job over the years so many times for us...it’s just about getting back to their rhythm.”
Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav also made a comeback from his hernia surgery in the recent ODIs and adds to the spin-heavy bowling attack and Rohit said he “looks confident.”
“The two games that he played, the numbers will not show and with certain players you don’t have to look at numbers so much,” Rohit said of the left-arm wrist spinner.
“And if these two guys are in form, the team looks very, very good,” he added.
India will play all their matches in Dubai after refusing to visit hosts Pakistan over long-standing political tensions and Rohit said the key to perform at the Dubai stadium will be to assess the pitch “as quickly as possible.”


Witness Stand gears up for Saudi Cup’s $2m 1351 Turf Sprint

Witness Stand gears up for Saudi Cup’s $2m 1351 Turf Sprint
Updated 19 February 2025
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Witness Stand gears up for Saudi Cup’s $2m 1351 Turf Sprint

Witness Stand gears up for Saudi Cup’s $2m 1351 Turf Sprint
  • Jockey Kieran Shoemark, who will travel to Saudi Arabia for a sole ride aboard Witness Stand, is optimistic about gelding’s chances

LONDON: Urloxhey Stables is set for its first international flat runner as Witness Stand prepares to line up in the $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup on Saturday.

The Worcestershire-based training partnership of National Hunt trainer Richard Newland and co-trainer Jamie Insole is making a significant leap onto the global racing stage with the four-year-old gelding.

Witness Stand, a Listed winner at Newbury last autumn under jockey Kieran Shoemark, is the highest-rated UK entry in the prestigious 7-furlong contest. Shoemark, who guided the son of Expert Eye to two victories last season, will renew his partnership in Riyadh.

Acquired for 100,000 guineas ($132,159) at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, Witness Stand was identified as a value buy by Insole on behalf of owners Scott and Debbie Turner.

Recalling the acquisition, Insole told George Smyly Media: “We initially thought he’d be too pricey and his consignors Barton Stud brought him out to show me and I told them to put him away as he’d be too expensive. We were delighted to secure him and we’re excited to campaign him in 2025 and beyond.”

After arriving at Urloxhey Stables in November, Witness Stand was given a short break before returning to training. Insole has been steadily building up the gelding’s fitness, incorporating two away days at Wolverhampton to sharpen him for the Saudi challenge.

Urloxhey Stables is set for its first international flat runner as Witness Stand prepares to line up in the $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint at the Saudi Cup on Saturday. (Supplied)

“He’s a compact horse who carries his condition well, but the next 10 days will sharpen him up further,” Insole said.

The Saudi Cup’s unique seven-furlong test, which brings together sprinters stretching out and milers cutting back in trip, will pose tactical challenges. However, Insole believes Witness Stand’s adaptability is a key asset.

“The seven-furlong trip is perfect for him in a race that brings together five and six-furlong sprinters and milers dropping back in distance. He’s shown good form on quick ground at Goodwood, so that holds no concern,” he said.

Shoemark, who will travel to Saudi Arabia for a sole ride aboard Witness Stand, is optimistic about the gelding’s chances.

“He’s done a couple of pieces of work at Wolverhampton, and I’m happy with where he is at this stage,” Shoemark said. “The quick ground and track in Saudi won’t be an issue — he’s incredibly versatile both in terms of ground and trip. All he did last year was improve in a short space of time, and with his rating of 114, he fully deserves his place in this field.”

Witness Stand’s strong autumn campaign coincided with the addition of cheekpieces, which will remain in place for the Saudi Cup.

“They’ve sharpened him up and he’s worked well at home in them, so we see no reason to change what’s proven to be successful,” Insole added.

The Saudi Cup’s unique seven-furlong test, which brings together sprinters stretching out and milers cutting back in trip, will pose tactical challenges. However, Insole believes Witness Stand’s (pictured) adaptability is a key asset. (Supplied)

Shoemark also praised Insole’s approach to training, highlighting his ambition and results.

“Jamie is very passionate and proactive, and he’s not afraid to run his horses. His results last year speak for themselves, and with the quality two-year-olds and pedigrees he’s added to the yard, I think there’s more success ahead,” he said.

The international campaign marks a significant step forward for Urloxhey Stables, which was formed in December 2023 when Insole joined forces with Grand National-winning trainer Newland. Since then, the duo has sent out 27 winners on the flat and currently trains 35 National Hunt horses and 65 flat horses, including 27 two-year-olds.

“It’s a huge step,” Insole admitted.

“Last year, we showed we could improve older horses and develop two-year-olds. Now, we want to prove we can compete on the biggest stage and attract international owners. This race is fully funded, so it’s a free hit at big prize money. Even finishing sixth would bring home £50,000 ($62,914).”

Young British trainers such as George Boughey and George Scott have expanded their global presence in Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain, and Insole hopes this race will be the catalyst for a similar international profile for Urloxhey Stables, adding: “We’re hoping he can run a big race and we can prove we are a professional outfit who mean business.”