Exciting Season Opener of Formula E at Diriyah Gate in Riyadh

Overview of the Race

The Diriyah Gate circuit in Riyadh is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places on the motorsport calendar. The opening race of Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will take place at this mesmerizing UNESCO World Heritage Site under the lights.

Drivers in Focus

Ahead of the new season, Formula E reigning champion Nick De Vries (Mercedes EQ) visited the circuit along with:

• Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti)
• Oliver Rowland (Mahindra)
• Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing)
• Lucas DiGrassi (ROKiT Venturi Racing)
• Antonio Felix Da Costa (DS TECHEETAH)

Exciting Features of the Season Opener

The season opener will be quite a spectacle with the opening race featuring a new qualifying format and other Formula E features such as:

• Fan Boost
• Attack Mode

This will be the fourth time the Diriyah circuit will host Formula E since it joined the calendar in 2018.

New Qualifying Format

Talking about the new qualifying format, the 22 drivers will be divided into groups of 11. The teammates will be in different groups, namely A and B. After the groups are completed, the fastest drivers from the two groups will race in head-to-head knockouts and will have one shot to set a timed lap.

Head-to-Head Format

The winners of the head-to-head rounds will advance to the semi-finals, ultimately deciding the winner. For the groups, drivers will have 200kWh of battery energy, and for the duel, each driver will have 250kWh of energy at their disposal. This is set to be an exciting show.

Race Schedule

The curtain-raising night race will take place on January 28 and 29. Let the season begin!