From $5.60 Chicken to $400 Alpine Jacket: The Unexpected Shopping Experience at the Saudi GP

From capturing arrivals of drivers and their partners to picking up gossip from behind-the-scenes chatter, veteran photojournalist Kym Illman has earned a reputation as the go-to man for F1 paddock insight. This weekend, he is at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the Saudi Arabian GP, where he shed light on prices of things at the venue.

For fans, a ticket mainly secures a spot to watch the on-track action. But as always, there’s much more on offer—merchandise to shop, food to indulge in, and plenty of fun activities to enjoy throughout the day.

Jeddah, too, had plenty to offer on that front, and Illman shared a video on his social media account to showcase it. First, the Aussie embarked on a food tour around the fastest street circuit on the F1 calendar.

Illman first came across chicken at Al Baiq—one of the biggest chains in the Middle East—priced at $5.60 for seven pieces. “It’s epic,” he said, as he began his food tour.

Next, he found a turkey and cheese croissant for $4.70. A cup of coffee cost $3.70, and a slice of pizza—described as “great” by Illman—was priced at $5.30. These weren’t the only food options available. A Melt ground burger was selling for $9, while a tuna sandwich cost $6—a price Illman deemed “reasonable” for a sandwich.

After wrapping up the food tour, he moved on to explore the team merchandise on sale.

Illman began by checking out the merchandise on offer at Williams and revealed that one of their hoodies was priced at $200. He seemed particularly unimpressed by the cost of Alpine’s products, reacting with an “Ouch” as he showed a jacket that cost around $400.

Interestingly, even merchandise from McLaren and Ferrari—arguably bigger teams than Alpine—was significantly more affordable. According to Illman, T-shirts from both teams ranged between $170 and $250.

Team caps, meanwhile, were priced between $70 and $105. With “no bargains” to be found, Illman remarked, “Better off buying outside the track. But if this is all you’ve got, it’s a great place to come shopping.” 

However, it’s worth noting that prices in Jeddah were far more reasonable compared to those at some other circuits—such as the Miami GP, which F1 is set to visit next. Last year, Miami organizers faced intense online trolling after it was revealed that lobster rolls were being sold for a staggering $280. Simply shocking.

So, while the cost of the jackets and t-shirts were exceedingly high at the Saudi Arabian GP paddock, the relatively cheap food prices made shopping in Jeddah an unexpectedly balanced experience. Overall, it still feels more seamless and pocket-friendly than some of the more ‘glamorous’ races on the calendar.