Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal

{{Short description|Saudi royal, former racing driver and politician (born 1983)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud (cropped).jpg

| caption =

| office = Minister of Sport

| term_start = 25 February 2020

| term_end =

| primeminister = {{ubl|Salman (2020–2022)|Mohammad bin Salman (2022–present)}}

| spouse =

| predecessor = Office established

| mother = Nouf bint Fahd bin Khalid Al Saud

| father = Turki bin Faisal Al Saud

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|6|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

| module = {{Infobox person|child=yes|alma mater={{ubl|King Saud University |SOAS University of London}}}}

| monarch = Salman

}}

Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ({{langx|ar|عبد العزيز بن تركي آل سعود}}, {{transliteration|ar|ALA|‘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.{{Cite news|url=https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2149016/saudi-royal-decree-forms-3-new-ministries-merges-2-others|title=Saudi Royal Decree Forms 3 New Ministries, Merges 2 Others|work=Asharq Al Awsat|access-date=25 February 2020}}

Early life and education

Prince Abdulaziz was born on 4 June 1983 in Riyadh.{{ Cite news|url=https://www.anocolympic.org/nocs-directory/saudi-arabian-olympic-committee/16110|title=Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee|work=anocolympic.org|access-date=4 February 2021}} {{cite web|title=About Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal|url=http://www.redbullmea.com/cs/Satellite/en_MEA/Profile/Abdulaziz-Turki-AlFaisal-021242908941240|work=Red Bull|access-date=31 March 2012}}{{cite web|title=Drivers Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal|url=http://www.saudi-falcons.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126&Itemid=135|work=Saudi Falcons|access-date=31 March 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413184219/http://www.saudi-falcons.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126&Itemid=135

|archive-date=13 April 2012|url-status=dead}} He is the second son of Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, the brother of Faisal bin Turki, a grandson of King 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.{{cite news|last=Meenaghan|first=Gary|title=A concrete oasis in the middle of the Saudi Arabia desert

|url=http://www.thenational.ae/sport/motorsport/a-concrete-oasis-in-the-middle-of-the-saudi-arabia-desert|accessdate=6 June 2012|newspaper=The National|date=21 February 2012}}

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. He also graduated from the Formula BMW school in Bahrain in 2005.

Motorsport career

Abdulaziz Al Faisal's early motorsport career includes the following races:{{cite web|title=Road Map|publisher=Abdulaziz Al Faisal

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102204655/http://abdulazizalfaisal.com/aboutus.swf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 January 2022

|url=http://abdulazizalfaisal.com/aboutus.swf|access-date=31 March 2012}}

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.{{cite web|title=Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al Faisal wins Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East|url=http://www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?m=gcc_press&id=2183816&cnt=171&lang=en&PHPSESSID=8|work=GCC Press Agencies|access-date=31 March 2012|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402135505/http://www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?m=gcc_press&id=2183816&cnt=171&lang=en&PHPSESSID=8|url-status=dead}} 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.

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.

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.{{cite web|title=Abdulaziz Al Faisal, SA|work=Racing Sports Cars|access-date=20 June 2012|url=http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Abdulaziz-Al%20Faisal-SA.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201023058/http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Abdulaziz-Al%20Faisal-SA.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 February 2013}}

The Saudi Falcons, led by him, did not participate in 24H Dubai 2013 due to several unexpected mechanical problems.{{cite news|title=Saudi Falcons led by Prince Abdulaziz Turki Al-Faisal retire from 24H Dubai 2013|url=http://riyadhconnect.com/saudi-falcons-led-by-prince-abdulaziz-turki-al-faisal-retire-from-24h-dubai-2013/|access-date=4 March 2013|work=Riyadh Connect|date=14 January 2013|archive-date=15 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815144233/http://riyadhconnect.com/saudi-falcons-led-by-prince-abdulaziz-turki-al-faisal-retire-from-24h-dubai-2013/|url-status=dead}}

=Racing career summary=

His racing career summary is as follows:{{cite web|title=Abdulaziz Al Faisal|work=Driver Database|access-date=31 March 2012|url=http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/abdulaziz-al-faisal/}}

Year	No of races	Wins	Podium	Pole position	No of fastest race
class="wikitable"
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 positions	7 fastest race laps
2010	17 races	9 wins	13 podiums	6 pole positions	6 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)

=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
Fourth in 24H Dubai race, 2012
Third in ADAC GT Masters Round 4 in June 2012
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.
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.{{cite web|author=Phill Tromans|title=Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal. Podium hunting|url=http://www.crankandpiston.com/on-the-track/abdulaziz-turki-al-faisal-podium-hunting-adac-gt-masters/|work=Crank and Piston|access-date=5 July 2012|date=11 June 2012}} 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.{{cite web|title=Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal makes a Historic Achievement at ADAC GT Masters|url=http://biser3a.com/motor-sports/abdulaziz-turki-alfaisal-makes-a-historic-achievement-in-the-name-of-ksa-at-adac-gt-masters/|archive-url=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/|archive-date=17 June 2012|url-status=dead

|work=Biser3a|access-date=21 June 2012}} Abdulaziz finished 3rd among 44 cars on the starting grid of Round 4.

=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.{{cite web|author=James Gent|title=Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal. Le Mans 24hrs. The building tension|url=http://www.crankandpiston.com/on-the-track/abdulaziz-turki-al-faisal-le-mans-24hrs-the-building-tension/|work=Crank and Piston|access-date=6 July 2012|date=16 June 2012}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
Year ! Team ! Co-Drivers ! Car ! Class ! Laps ! {{Tooltip\|Pos.\|Overall Position}} ! {{Tooltip\|Class Pos.\|Class Position}}
{{24hLM\|2011}} \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|GER}} Team Felbermayr-Proton \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Bryce Miller {{flagicon\|GBR}} Nick Tandy \|align="left"\| Porsche 997 GT3-RSR \| GTE Pro \| 169 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|2012}} \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|BEL}} Prospeed Competition \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Bret Curtis {{flagicon\|GBR}} Sean Edwards \|align="left"\| Porsche 997 GT3-RSR \| GTE Am \| 180 \| DNF \| DNF
{{24hLM\|2013}} \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|GBR}} JMW Motorsport \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|ITA}} Andrea Bertolini {{flagicon\|ARE}} Khaled Al Qubaisi \|align="left"\| Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 \| GTE Pro \| 300 \| 34th \| 10th
{{24hLM\|2014}} \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|GBR}} JMW Motorsport \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Seth Neiman {{flagicon\|USA}} Spencer Pumpelly \|align="left"\| Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 \| GTE Am \| 327 \| 27th \| 7th
{{24hLM\|2015}} \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|GBR}} JMW Motorsport \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|POL}} Jakub Giermaziak {{flagicon\|USA}} Michael Avenatti \|align="left"\| Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 \| GTE Am \| 320 \| 36th \| 7th
{{24hLM\|2017}} \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|DEU}} Proton Competition \|align="left"\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Patrick Long {{flagicon\|USA}} Mike Hedlund \|align="left"\| Porsche 911 RSR \| GTE Am \| 329 \| 37th \| 9th
colspan="8"\|{{center\|{{small\|Sources:{{cite web\|title=Abdulaziz Al Faisal\|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/abdulaziz-al-faisal-167\|publisher=Automobile Club de l'Ouest\|access-date=21 July 2023}}{{cite web\|title=2013 Mans results \|url=https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/result/11\|publisher=FIA World Endurance Championship\|access-date=21 July 2023}}}}}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

Year

! Team

! Co-Drivers

! Car

! Class

! Laps

! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}

! {{Tooltip|Class
Pos.|Class Position}}

|align="left"| {{flagicon|GER}} Team Felbermayr-Proton

|align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Bryce Miller
{{flagicon|GBR}} Nick Tandy

|align="left"| Porsche 997 GT3-RSR

| GTE
Pro

| 169

| DNF

|align="left"| {{flagicon|BEL}} Prospeed Competition

|align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Bret Curtis
{{flagicon|GBR}} Sean Edwards

|align="left"| Porsche 997 GT3-RSR

| GTE
Am

| 180

| DNF

|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} JMW Motorsport

|align="left"| {{flagicon|ITA}} Andrea Bertolini
{{flagicon|ARE}} Khaled Al Qubaisi

|align="left"| Ferrari 458 Italia GT2

| GTE
Pro

| 300

| 34th

| 10th

|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} JMW Motorsport

|align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Seth Neiman
{{flagicon|USA}} Spencer Pumpelly

|align="left"| Ferrari 458 Italia GT2

| GTE
Am

| 327

| 27th

| 7th

|align="left"| {{flagicon|GBR}} JMW Motorsport

|align="left"| {{flagicon|POL}} Jakub Giermaziak
{{flagicon|USA}} Michael Avenatti

|align="left"| Ferrari 458 Italia GT2

| GTE
Am

| 320

| 36th

| 7th

|align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} Proton Competition

|align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Patrick Long
{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Hedlund

|align="left"| Porsche 911 RSR

| GTE
Am

| 329

| 37th

| 9th

colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Sources:{{cite web|title=Abdulaziz Al Faisal|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/abdulaziz-al-faisal-167|publisher=Automobile Club de l'Ouest|access-date=21 July 2023}}{{cite web|title=2013 Mans results

|url=https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/result/11|publisher=FIA World Endurance Championship|access-date=21 July 2023}}}}}}

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.{{cite news|title=APSCO honors Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki|url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2010041769610|work=Saudi Gazette|access-date=31 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403014118/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2010041769610}}

Abdulaziz bin Turki was named as ambassador for Road Safety in Shell's 2013 road safety programme in Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|title=Shell, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal promote Road Safety 2013 programme|access-date=2 December 2012

|url=http://www.ameinfo.com/shell-hrh-prince-abdulaziz-bin-turki-320640|work=AME Info|date=28 November 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117045356/http://www.ameinfo.com/shell-hrh-prince-abdulaziz-bin-turki-320640|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 January 2013}} In February 2019, he was appointed president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee. In August 2020, Arabian Business deemed Abdulaziz as one of the most powerful people in Saudi Arabia.{{cite news|title=Most Powerful People in Saudi Arabia|url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/lists/the-most-powerful-people-saudi-arabia|accessdate=16 September 2020|work=Arabian Business|date=26 August 2020}}

Abdulaziz bin Turki is the chairman of the Riyadh 2030 committee{{Cite news|url=https://sportsforall.com.sa/tag/prince-abdulaziz-bin-turki-al-faisal|title= Prince Abdulaziz: "This bid is the dream of a nation"|work=Sports for All|access-date=4 February 2021}} which won the bid for the 2034 Asian Games.{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/doha-2030-asian-games-riyadh-2034-qatar-saudi-arabia|title=Doha to host 2030 Asian Games as Riyadh gets 2034 edition|date=17 December 2020|work=Sports Promedia|access-date=4 February 2021}}