Opening & Closing Ceremonies

The 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah marked 75 years of Formula 1 and five editions of the race in Saudi Arabia. The opening and closing ceremonies were conceived as two distinct but connected live experiences, framing the race weekend for both the on-site audience and a global broadcast.

ON THE SLY was commissioned as Music Directors, working alongside 555 Live Experience to create the full musical score for both ceremonies, delivering live ceremony music direction for one of the world’s most recognised sporting events.

Opening Ceremony – Legacy of Speed

The opening show explored the dual forces at the heart of Formula 1: engineering precision and raw adrenaline. The score reflected this tension from the outset. Structured rhythmic patterns and mechanical textures met surging synths and racing pulses, mirroring the visual fusion of geometric drone formations and fluid motion in the sky.

Featuring iconic F1 moments across the 75 years of the sport, including stunning victories from Michael Schumacher and a tribute to Ayrton Senna, the ceremony relied on music to carry the emotional storytelling. As the visuals moved through different eras of the sport, the score shifted in tone and energy, transitioning from historic reflection into a more contemporary, forward-driving musical language.

The transformation of the F1 emblem into the 75th anniversary mark became a key musical pivot, moving the narrative from legacy to momentum. The final countdown relocated the focus to the Shangri-La tower, where the score tightened into a controlled build before releasing into the ignition moment that carried directly into race energy.

Closing Ceremony – Innovation & Identity

Where the opening looked outward to the global history of Formula 1, the closing ceremony centred on Jeddah and the Kingdom’s identity.

As the map of Saudi Arabia formed in the sky, the score introduced regional tonal colour and rhythmic elements inspired by local percussion, grounding the spectacle in place. As the formation transitioned from the Kingdom to Jeddah and then into the circuit itself, the music evolved from heritage-inflected textures into a more contemporary race-driven sound, reconnecting the narrative to the track.

Across both ceremonies, the score unified drones, lasers, lighting and aerial choreography into a single musical framework, guiding the audience through each transition and ensuring the storytelling remained clear for both grandstand spectators and global viewers.

This project forms part of ON THE SLY’s work delivering music and sound direction for sporting ceremonies and large-scale opening shows around the world.