Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud

Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud (Arabic: عبد العزيز بن تركي آل سعود, ‘Abd al-‘Azīz ibn Turkī Āl Su‘ūd) (born 4 June 1983), also known as Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, is a former Saudi racing driver and businessman as well as a member of the House of Saud. Prince Abdulaziz is the minister of sports appointed by King Salman with a royal decree on 25 February 2020.[1]

Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud
Minister of Sports
Assumed office
25 February 2020
MonarchSalman
Prime Minister
Preceded byOffice established
Personal details
Born (1983-06-04) 4 June 1983
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Parents
Alma mater

Early life and education
Abdulaziz bin Turki (left) in Riyadh in 2022

Prince Abdulaziz was born on 4 June 1983 in Riyadh.[2] [3][4] He is the second son of Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, the brother of Faisal bin Turki, a grandson of Faisal of Saudi Arabia and the great-grandson of Ibn Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia.

He claims that he learned to drive at nine years old. His father allowed him behind the wheel of a grey Nissan Patrol, which he drove around in the sand.[5]

Abdulaziz bin Turki graduated from King Faisal School, Riyadh, in 2000. He went to study politics at King Saud University from 2001 to 2003. He continued to study politics at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, from 2003 to 2006. He studied marketing at College of Business Administration (Saudi Arabia), Jeddah beginning in 2006 and graduated in 2010.[3] He also graduated from the Formula BMW school in Bahrain in 2005.[5]

Motorsport career

Abdulaziz Al Faisal's early motorsport career includes the following races:[6]

  • Formula BMW racing centre race series (2005 – 2006): (Contested) One race, one pole position, first place.
  • Formula BMW racing centre race series (2006 – 2007): Eight races out of nine, four pole positions, four wins, finished third on the championship.
  • Speed trip 7 Bahrain (2006 – 2007): Second overall autocross championship.

In 2010, Abdulaziz bin Turki participated and won several places in the following races: Radical Masters AUH round: 2nd Place; Porsche GT3 CCME Champion 9 wins and 12 podium finishes.[7] The races he participated in 2011 are as follows: 24h Dubai Race with Saudi Falcons, 5th place; Lotus T125 F1 testing in Abudhabi; Porsche GT3 CCME 2nd overall with Most fastest Laps and Most Pole positions; 24h LeMans Official Testing with Porsche Factory Support Team; Hungaroring BMW Z4 GT3 testing; FIA GT3 Championship – 1st place in Algarve Portugal with Team Need for Speed by Schubert Motorsport.[3]

Abdulaziz Al Faisal won the championship title in the first GT3 European championship round organized in the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal in May 2011. He came first with his co-pilot Edward Sandström on a BMW Z4 on the Need for Speed Schubert team. With this success, Abdulaziz Turki became the first Saudi to participate and win a GT3 European championship race.[3]

His most frequent co-pilots were Edward Sandström (6), Nick Tandy (2), Bryce Miller (2), Bret Curtis (1), Sean Edwards (1) and Spencer Pumpelly (1) until 2012.[8]

The Saudi Falcons, led by him, did not participate in 24H Dubai 2013 due to several unexpected mechanical problems.[9]

Racing career summary

His racing career summary is as follows:[10]

YearNo of racesWinsPodiumPole positionNo of fastest race
201313 races2 wins11 podiums1 pole positions4 fastest race lap
201216 races4 wins12 podiums2 pole positions2 fastest race lap
201122 races7 wins10 podiums6 pole positions7 fastest race laps
201017 races9 wins13 podiums6 pole positions6 fastest race laps
20098 races1 win1 podium0 pole positions0 fastest race laps
20081 race0 win1 podium0 pole positions0 fastest race laps

Races entered: 79; Wins: 23; Podiums: 48; Pole positions: 16; Fastest laps: 19; Race win percentage: 29.11% (Data updated as of 25 March 2013)[10]

Racing career highlights
  • Le Mans 24h with Porsche RSR Factory Support Team, 2012
  • Winner of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Me Championship for the second time, 2012[3]
  • Fourth in 24H Dubai race, 2012[3]
  • Third in ADAC GT Masters Round 4 in June 2012[11]
  • Second in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, 2010–11.
  • Second in 24H Series, A5 2010.
  • Middle Eastern Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge champion 2009–10.
  • Third in Formula BMW Bahrain 2007.[10]
  • See also: 2011 FIA GT3 European Championship season and Porsche GT3 Middle East Championship

ADAC GT Masters

Abdulaziz Al Faisal was the only Arab driver racing in the ADAC GT Masters in June 2012, one of the world's biggest GT3 championships.[12] He achieved significant success during his first participation in one of the most important GT3 races of the ADAC GT Masters, Rounds 3 and 4 of the championship at Sachsenring circuit in Germany with Schubert Motorsport Team in June 2012.[11] Abdulaziz finished 3rd among 44 cars on the starting grid of Round 4.[11]

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Abdulaziz participated in Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans together with Sean Edwards and Bret Curtis in June 2012. They managed to qualify the #75 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR a remarkable second in the Pro-Am category in the race.[13]

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2011 Germany Team Felbermayr-Proton United States Bryce Miller
United Kingdom Nick Tandy		 Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GTE
Pro		 169 DNF DNF
2012 Belgium Prospeed Competition United States Bret Curtis
United Kingdom Sean Edwards		 Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GTE
Am		 180 DNF DNF
2013 United Kingdom JMW Motorsport Italy Andrea Bertolini
United Arab Emirates Khaled Al Qubaisi		 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTE
Pro		 300 34th 10th
2014 United Kingdom JMW Motorsport United States Seth Neiman
United States Spencer Pumpelly		 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTE
Am		 327 27th 7th
2015 United Kingdom JMW Motorsport Poland Jakub Giermaziak
United States Michael Avenatti		 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTE
Am		 320 36th 7th
2017 Germany Proton Competition United States Patrick Long
United States Mike Hedlund		 Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am		 329 37th 9th
Sources:[14][15]

Awards and recognition

APSCO, the dealer of Mobil 1 oil in Saudi Arabia, presented an honorary shield to Abdulaziz Al Faisal - the leader of the Saudi Racing team - at Reem International Circuit in Riyadh in 2010. His team received the award for winning 1st place nine times at the Porsche GT3 Middle East Championship, a record number, as well as winning the title of the first edition of this championship. The championship was held over a period of six months on the most famous Arab racing circuits in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. APSCO was a major sponsor of the championship.[16]

Abdulaziz bin Turki was named as ambassador for Road Safety in Shell's 2013 road safety programme in Saudi Arabia.[17] In February 2019, he was appointed president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee.[2] In August 2020, Arabian Business deemed Abdulaziz as one of the most powerful people in Saudi Arabia.[18]

Abdulaziz bin Turki is the chairman of the Riyadh 2030 committee[19] which won the bid for the 2034 Asian Games.[20]

References
  1. "Saudi Royal Decree Forms 3 New Ministries, Merges 2 Others". Asharq Al Awsat. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  2. "Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee". anocolympic.org. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  3. "About Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal". Red Bull. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  4. "Drivers Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal". Saudi Falcons. Archived from the original on 13 April 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  5. Meenaghan, Gary (21 February 2012). "A concrete oasis in the middle of the Saudi Arabia desert". The National. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  6. "Road Map". Abdulaziz Al Faisal. Archived from the original on 2 January 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  7. "Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal wins Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East". GCC Press Agencies. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  8. "Abdulaziz Al Faisal, SA". Racing Sports Cars. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  9. "Saudi Falcons led by Prince Abdulaziz Turki Al-Faisal retire from 24H Dubai 2013". Riyadh Connect. 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  10. "Abdulaziz Al Faisal". Driver Database. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  11. "Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal makes a Historic Achievement at ADAC GT Masters". Biser3a. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  12. Phill Tromans (11 June 2012). "Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal. Podium hunting". Crank and Piston. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  13. James Gent (16 June 2012). "Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal. Le Mans 24hrs. The building tension". Crank and Piston. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  14. "Abdulaziz Al Faisal". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  15. "2013 Mans results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  16. "APSCO honors Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki". Saudi Gazette. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  17. "Shell, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal promote Road Safety 2013 programme". AME Info. 28 November 2012. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  18. "Most Powerful People in Saudi Arabia". Arabian Business. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  19. "Prince Abdulaziz: "This bid is the dream of a nation"". Sports for All. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  20. "Doha to host 2030 Asian Games as Riyadh gets 2034 edition". Sports Promedia. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
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