Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal

Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (, ) (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.

Early life and education Prince Abdulaziz was born on 4 June 1983 in Riyadh. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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

Racing career summary His racing career summary is as follows: Year No of races Wins 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 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) 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. Abdulaziz finished 3rd among 44 cars on the starting grid of Round 4.

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Team Felbermayr-Proton Bryce Miller Nick Tandy Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GTEPro 169 DNF DNF Prospeed Competition Bret Curtis Sean Edwards Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GTEAm 180 DNF DNF JMW Motorsport Andrea Bertolini Khaled Al Qubaisi Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTEPro 300 34th 10th JMW Motorsport Seth Neiman Spencer Pumpelly Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTEAm 327 27th 7th JMW Motorsport Jakub Giermaziak Michael Avenatti Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTEAm 320 36th 7th Proton Competition Patrick Long Mike Hedlund Porsche 911 RSR GTEAm 329 37th 9th

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.

Abdulaziz bin Turki was named as ambassador for Road Safety in Shell's 2013 road safety programme in Saudi Arabia. In February 2019, he was appointed president of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee.

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