The weekend saw the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship travel to Diriyah for a double-header of races. Following an intense first race on Friday, thousands of fans watched on as 22 of the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race cars ever built - the GEN3 - raced for the second time over the weekend.
Model, activist and founder of her own skincare brand, Winnie Harlow attended the race event commenting: “The experience at Formula E is unmatched and I really enjoyed the vibe, people, atmosphere, and racing. I’ve been to Saudi Arabia a few times and always had a great experience, so I loved that Formula E was in Diriyah.”
She added: “Living in a more sustainable world and being able to enjoy motorsports at the same time is incredible.” Earlier she got the chance to experience life on the track herself, rubbed shoulders with the drivers and watched French Montana and John Legend entertain thousands of motorsport fans.
The 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix has attracted a number of other notable names including Emily in Paris star Lucien Laviscount, with performances from John Legend, Martin Garrix, Miguel and French Montana. Live TV race coverage was presented by Vernon Kay.
Speaking about the event, Lucien commented: “I’m a massive fan of motorsport and anything to do with cars. Seeing the new GEN3 race car on track for the first time was insane.
“It looks like a fighter jet on wheels and sounds like it’s from a sci-fi movie. Formula E are leading the world in electric car innovation. I’m in line for an electric vehicle and this has really given me a taste.”
Formula E has built a popular fan base over the years and continues to attract famous faces, with Idris Elba, Cara Delevingne, Kylie Minogue, Sienna Miller, Ellie Goulding and Jaden Smith amongst others to have attended Formula E races in the past. The Diriyah Street Circuit, just outside of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, snakes around the historic city's walls at the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Whilst the track is a favourite amongst the drivers, it's also one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar for balancing energy management and outright pace. Teams from iconic manufacturers including McLaren, Maserati, Porsche, Jaguar and Nissan compete in Formula E.
At the 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix track, the latest low-power LED technology lights the circuit for the only night races on the 16-race championship calendar. These reduce energy consumption by up to 50 per cent compared to non-LED units, and they will be powered by sustainably sourced biofuel generators.
The next race of the 2023 series will take place on Saturday 11 February in Hyderabad, in India.