Editorial: When money reigns supreme

Once again, the world of sports proves that money reigns supreme, even surpassing concerns about people's safety.

“Money, money, money. It must be fun,” sang ABBA in their iconic hit song. In reality, money is rarely so enjoyable. During the Formula 1 weekend in Saudi Arabia, at the Jeddah circuit, a missile struck an Aramco oil facility just a few miles from the track. The incident immediately raised a dilemma: should the race be canceled or should the program continue? While the drivers seemed to have reached a consensus, this opinion evaporated as soon as external pressures came into play. Pierre Gasly's reaction after the emergency meeting spoke volumes: his face expressed what words could not say. A person can lie, but their body cannot. So why continue when lives are at risk? The answer probably lies in money. Aramco has committed to paying several hundred million dollars over a ten-year period to host F1 on Saudi soil. Even though the sport's finances are solid, those few million dollars seem to have tipped the scales. Fortunately, there were no further attacks and the drivers emerged unscathed, but imagine the outcry if a similar tragedy had occurred during the 50-lap Grand Prix. As Damon Hill warned on Twitter, “F1 is playing with fire.”