HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al-Faisal Al-Saud welcomes the world to Diriyah for sixth Formula E Diriyah E-Prix
SAMF Chairman promises ‘electric’ weekend of motorsport and entertainment
‘Kingdom will pass half a million motorsport spectators by end of 2024’
Formula E CEO labels Diriyah E-Prix standards as incredible; says everyone in Formula E ‘always happy to be back’
Promoter CBX adds: ‘This is one of the biggest and most important events in Formula E’
Riyadh tickets are available now, starting at SAR100 via Formula E World Championship | webook.com
DIRIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA:-: World-class motorsport returns to the streets of Diriyah on Friday night with round 2 of the 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The electric racing series is back in Saudi Arabia for a record-extending sixth year and like always, the Diriyah E-Prix presents successive night races with round 3 following on Saturday.
Ahead of the event, HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al-Faisal Al-Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), opened the weekend proceedings at the official press conference.
While previewing what promises to be another incredible ‘Double Header in the Dark’, he hailed Saudi Arabia as an ‘international motorsport hub’ – crediting the incomparable electric racing series for inspiring a never-before-seen wave of motorsport popularity nationwide.
HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al-Faisal Al-Saud said: “Since the first year that Formula E came to Saudi, we have embarked on an amazing journey, one made possible with the unlimited support of our Crown Prince, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman; the Ministry of Sport, led by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal; and the collaboration from all organizing entities and partners.
“Recent years have seen the Kingdom emerge as a dynamic international hub for motorsport, led by remarkable growth and development from within. By the end of 2024, over half a million people in Saudi Arabia will have enjoyed live motorsport events since 2018 with around 60% of Diriyah E-Prix attendees under 35 – and 35% women and girls.”
HRH Prince Khaled also shed light on the Kingdom’s blossoming grassroots motorsport ecosystem. When asked about the standout platforms enabling local racing enthusiasts to pursue their passions and interests, he added: “Saudi Arabia has a growing grassroots motorsport ecosystem – with events for both youth and seniors. These include the Saudi Games, KSA IAME Series, and KSA Rotax Max Championship, as well as several initiatives in the motorsports sector like GR Racing school, Aramco F1 school, and the Saudi Racing Team. This is very important. Without question, these events and initiatives have paved the way for discovering the racing talents of boys and girls alike – developing their skills, advancing their experience, and elevating them to professional excellence.”
This year’s Diriyah E-Prix is the latest illustration of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to hosting the very best international events across all sports. With continuous hosting has come world-class expertise in staging the very best events possible – something alluded to by Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer of Formula E.
When discussing the evolution of the Diriyah E-Prix, Albero Longo said: “The standards here are always incredible – everyone involved in the planning, production, and delivery of this event work to probably the highest standards we see each season. We’re a global championship; we have drivers, teams, manufacturers, and partners from all over the world – and these standards are definitely a reason why everyone looks forward to coming back to Diriyah. We always receive very positive feedback from all in the Formula E ecosystem.”
Carlo Boutagy, Founder and CEO of CBX, the sole regional promoter for Formula E in the Middle East, also spoke at the press conference, adding: “The Diriyah E-Prix is one the biggest and most important races in the Formula E calendar. Whether fans love motorsport or they visit for the first time, we ensure there are exciting experiences. It’s the only place to be this weekend and this shows how much the event has evolved in the last five years through our work with HRH Prince Khaled, his colleagues at SAMF, the Ministry of Sport, and Formula E.”
The Diriyah E-Prix is part of an incredible year-round schedule of international sports in the Kingdom, with motorsport, football, boxing, tennis, esports, combat sports, golf, and equestrian events all locked in for 2024 – with more to come.
With a weekend of supercharged action and electrified entertainment fast approaching, fans can secure their seats here for the Friday and Saturday, January 26 and 27 races. Grandstand and general admission tickets are available from SAR100.
