RIYADH: With just under a week to go until the highly anticipated return of the 2021-22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship there will some significant changes from previous years in the opening races at Diriyah.
The Diriyah E-Prix has been held three times in the historic desert surroundings of the UNESCO World Heritage site at At-Turaif, and a double-header of evening races will take place for the second year running on Jan. 28-29.
Changes that fans can expect this season include the qualifying process, which will feature a first round of two groups with each driver able to make multiple attempts at fastest laps within their allocated time. The new format maintains the possibility of any driver starting on pole. The top four fastest-lap drivers in each group will progress into head-to-head duels on a knockout basis in quarter-finals and semi-finals. Pole-position will be decided in a final head-to-head duel, with all grid positions based on either success in the head-to-head duels, or lap times depending on which stage of qualifying drivers reach.
As part of the new sporting regulations, Formula E races can now have additional race time of up to a maximum of 10 minutes added when incidents result in a Safety Car or Full Course Yellow neutralisations during the standard 45-minute + 1 Lap race.
Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), said: “Once again Diriyah is making sporting history with another ‘first’ and I’m so pleased Saudi Arabia has proudly opened this wonderful series. It’s a championship that aligns perfectly with our future vision and commitment to sustainability as a nation. We look forward to another thrilling season of racing, and we’re ready to welcome fans from all over the world.”
Ex-Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi (Dragon / Penske Autosport) will join Dan Ticktum (NIO 333 Racing), and Oliver Askew (Avalanche Andretti Formula E) on the grid for the first time, as the three rookies take part in the 22-driver line-up racing for the trophy.
Race and music fans can also look forward to entertainment both on and off track with concerts returning across the weekend. On Friday, Jan. 28 James Blunt, Craig David and Wyclef Jean take to the stage while following day’s line-up includes Two Door Cinema Club and The Script.
Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority said: “I am delighted to welcome Formula E back to Diriyah for its fourth year. The E-Prix is one of the most important highlights in our sporting events calendar and is the perfect opportunity to showcase Diriyah’s position as an urban pedestrian city of the future, anchored on its past as the birthplace of the Kingdom. We are also proud to share Formula E’s sustainability vision to accelerate change towards an electric future, raise awareness of sustainable practices and contribute to reducing global carbon emissions. We can’t wait to once again light up the night sky with this event and see the fans here in person next weekend.”
Tickets start from SAR 150 ($40) and are available at www.diriyah-eprix.com
