Ratel Not Ruling Out Jeddah for Potential IGTC Round

Photo: Musco Lighting

Stephane Ratel hasn’t ruled out the Jeddah Corniche Circuit returning under the SRO Motorsports Group fold in 2026, potentially as an Intercontinental GT Challenge round, following November’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup race that won’t feature on next year’s calendar.

The Saudi Arabian venue, which has hosted Formula 1 since 2021, will stage a 1000km race as the Endurance Cup’s season finale this year, alongside the GT4 European Series powered by Rafa Racing Club as a support series, marking SRO’s first venture into the Middle Eastern nation.

However, it was announced last month that Jeddah will not be on the 2025 Fanatec GT Europe schedule, with SRO opting to instead close out its season at Circuit de-Catalunya Barcelona.

Speaking with Sportscar365, Ratel insisted the door is not closed for a return to Saudi Arabia in 2026, depending on the success of this year’s event.

“I think it’s important to see how it goes for the first year, how the teams like it,” he said. “We need to see everything. To commit on the second year, we need to see [how the first one goes].

“At some point we said, ‘Let’s wait until November.’ (before confirming the event for 2025). But you know how it is. What I found out the last 20 years that people take the decisions earlier and earlier and do their planning.

“Now the teams and everybody get very anxious on what’s going on for next year.

“At some point I said, ‘Listen, let’s do something very classic, and if everybody is happy and if it’s a big success, I’m very confident we’ll return in 2026.

“But let’s see the success of it. And also for the event promoter, whether it will attract a good spectator attendance. Will all of the car distributors have a presence and be activating it?

“I personally wish we were there to stay and we would build something because SRO has a global footprint, and it’s true that we don’t have a round in the Middle East.

“We’ll do it and we’ll see how it goes this year and we’ll decide from there.”

When asked if the event could shift onto the IGTC calendar in 2026, Ratel said: “Everything’s possible.”

“It could be, but let’s see how Intercontinental grows,” he added. “I’m very pragmatic. Let’s see how things develop before making plans.

“I think this year’s [event] is important. We have two mega grids. The next [Endurance Cup] round in Monza we’ll have 53/54 GT3 cars and 51 GT4 cars.

“We’re talking massive grids there, which is unique. Nowhere in the world do you have 50-plus cars with one category, GT3 and GT4 separate.

“I’m very proud and happy to bring these big grids to a public that I think will enjoy it. I think the Saudis are a very young audience that are interested in motorsport and sport in general.

“It’s expensive because we’re supporting the teams financially. It’s a big budget.

“And I also want our event promoter, and especially Prince Abdulaziz, the [Saudi] minister of Sport that we know very well, having competed for eight years in Blancpain Endurance, I want him to be happy and to want us to stay on a good long-term collaboration.”

IGTC Now Has “Great Collection” of Events

With the return of Suzuka as a 1000km race next year, Ratel believes the current five-round IGTC calendar is a “great collection” of events that he hopes will attract more GT3 manufacturers in the future.

This year’s globe-trotting GT3 series features three GT3 brands in Mercedes-AMG, BMW and Porsche, which currently leads the standings entering next month’s season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS.

“With manufacturers, it’s very difficult and it’s increasingly difficult,” said Ratel. “Let’s not forget that WEC has captured some of their budget for sure.

“It’s why it’s very difficult for us to now say, ‘Oh, we’re going to have this and this and that.’

“All I know is that we have a very attractive calendar. The five rounds we have, and slowly but surely, I believe the Indy 8 Hour is also starting to be a bit better known and more appealing.

“I know it’s very slow and I know we don’t have a crowd and we’ll never have a [full] crowd. But slowly it’s attracting more attention.

“If you tell me how many cars, how many manufacturers. I don’t know. I just think we have a good program of events that makes sense and I still believe to have the Nürburgring 24 as part of it… is a mega event.

“We have a great collection of events, with four of the five being well-established, well-known, popular events. Let’s see where it goes from there.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John