Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud explained

Office:Minister of Sport
Term Start:25 February 2020
Predecessor:Office established
Mother:Nouf bint Fahd bin Khalid Al Saud
Father:Turki bin Faisal Al Saud
Birth Date:4 June 1983
Birth Place:Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Module:
Child:yes

Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud (Arabic: عبد العزيز بن تركي آل سعود,) (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]

Early life and education

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]

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]

Year No of racesWins Podium Pole position No of fastest race
2013 13 races 2 wins 11 podiums 1 pole positions 4 fastest race lap
2012 16 races 4 wins 12 podiums 2 pole positions 2 fastest race lap
2011 22 races 7 wins 10 podiums 6 pole positions7 fastest race laps
2010 17 races 9 wins 13 podiums 6 pole positions6 fastest race laps
2009 8 races 1 win 1 podium 0 pole positions 0 fastest race laps
2008 1 race 0 win 1 podium 0 pole positions 0 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

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.[11] 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.[12] Abdulaziz finished 3rd among 44 cars on the starting grid of Round 4.[12]

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]

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLaps
Team Felbermayr-Proton Bryce Miller
Nick Tandy
Porsche 997 GT3-RSRGTE
Pro
169DNFDNF
Prospeed Competition Bret Curtis
Sean Edwards
Porsche 997 GT3-RSRGTE
Am
180DNFDNF
JMW Motorsport Andrea Bertolini
Khaled Al Qubaisi
Ferrari 458 Italia GT2GTE
Pro
30034th10th
JMW Motorsport Seth Neiman
Spencer Pumpelly
Ferrari 458 Italia GT2GTE
Am
32727th7th
JMW Motorsport Jakub Giermaziak
Michael Avenatti
Ferrari 458 Italia GT2GTE
Am
32036th7th
Proton Competition Patrick Long
Mike Hedlund
Porsche 911 RSRGTE
Am
32937th9th

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.[14]

Abdulaziz bin Turki was named as ambassador for Road Safety in Shell's 2013 road safety programme in Saudi Arabia.[15] 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.[16]

Abdulaziz bin Turki is the chairman of the Riyadh 2030 committee[17] which won the bid for the 2034 Asian Games.[18]

Notes and References

  1. News: Saudi Royal Decree Forms 3 New Ministries, Merges 2 Others. Asharq Al Awsat. 25 February 2020.
  2. News: Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee. anocolympic.org. 4 February 2021.
  3. Web site: About Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal. Red Bull. 31 March 2012.
  4. Web site: Drivers Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal. Saudi Falcons. 31 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120413184219/http://www.saudi-falcons.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126&Itemid=135. 13 April 2012. dead.
  5. News: Meenaghan. Gary. A concrete oasis in the middle of the Saudi Arabia desert. 6 June 2012. The National. 21 February 2012.
  6. Web site: Road Map. Abdulaziz Al Faisal. https://web.archive.org/web/20220102204655/http://abdulazizalfaisal.com/aboutus.swf. dead. 2 January 2022. 31 March 2012.
  7. Web site: Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal wins Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East. GCC Press Agencies. 31 March 2012. 2 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402135505/http://www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?m=gcc_press&id=2183816&cnt=171&lang=en&PHPSESSID=8. dead.
  8. Web site: Abdulaziz Al Faisal, SA. Racing Sports Cars. 20 June 2012. https://archive.today/20130201023058/http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Abdulaziz-Al%20Faisal-SA.html. dead. 1 February 2013.
  9. News: Saudi Falcons led by Prince Abdulaziz Turki Al-Faisal retire from 24H Dubai 2013. 4 March 2013. Riyadh Connect. 14 January 2013. 15 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130815144233/http://riyadhconnect.com/saudi-falcons-led-by-prince-abdulaziz-turki-al-faisal-retire-from-24h-dubai-2013/. dead.
  10. Web site: Abdulaziz Al Faisal. Driver Database. 31 March 2012.
  11. Web site: Phill Tromans. Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal. Podium hunting. Crank and Piston. 5 July 2012. 11 June 2012.
  12. Web site: Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal makes a Historic Achievement at ADAC GT Masters. https://web.archive.org/web/20120617183053/http://biser3a.com/motor-sports/abdulaziz-turki-alfaisal-makes-a-historic-achievement-in-the-name-of-ksa-at-adac-gt-masters/. 17 June 2012. dead. Biser3a. 21 June 2012.
  13. Web site: James Gent. Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal. Le Mans 24hrs. The building tension. Crank and Piston. 6 July 2012. 16 June 2012.
  14. News: APSCO honors Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki. Saudi Gazette. 31 March 2012. dead. 3 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150403014118/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2010041769610.
  15. News: Shell, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal promote Road Safety 2013 programme. 2 December 2012. AME Info. 28 November 2012. https://archive.today/20130117045356/http://www.ameinfo.com/shell-hrh-prince-abdulaziz-bin-turki-320640. dead. 17 January 2013.
  16. News: Most Powerful People in Saudi Arabia. 16 September 2020. Arabian Business. 26 August 2020.
  17. News: Prince Abdulaziz: "This bid is the dream of a nation". Sports for All. 4 February 2021.
  18. News: Doha to host 2030 Asian Games as Riyadh gets 2034 edition. 17 December 2020. Sports Promedia. 4 February 2021.