5 brilliant racing moments from the 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix in Riyadh
Two days of incredible on- and off-track entertainment…
Returning for its ninth season and after a two-week break following an opener in Mexico City, the 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix kicked off on Friday January 27 in Riyadh with two days of exhilarating racing under the lights in Diriyah.
If you missed out, catch up on all the key moments here.
A double delight for Pascal Wehrlein and Porsche
It’s an incredible weekend for Pascal Wehrlein of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team as he takes his first win of the 2023 Formula E championship in Diriyah for both night races. On Friday January 27, the German driver stormed from P9 to P1, passing Sam Bird and keeping Jake Dennis at bay in the closing stages. And last night (Saturday January 28), he made it two wins from two, again ahead of Dennis.
Sam Bird’s return to the podium
The Briton scored his first Formula E podium at the Diriyah E-Prix since winning in New York City in Season 7. He calls it a “mini victory” for himself and Jaguar after a tough Season 8 – the only season he has failed to claim Formula E silverware. Putting that behind him, no doubt, felt a relief. Bird won the Diriyah E-Prix last year on his debut for Jaguar and is the only driver to win multiple times in Saudi Arabia.
Formula E gets a reboot with the all-new Gen3 race cars
It’s the Middle East debut of the Gen3 – the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built. The Gen3 is a huge leap in technological development and innovation, with engineers at the FIA and Formula E pushing the boundaries of EV development. Capable of a 200mph (322kph) top speed, the Gen3 is 53kg lighter than the Gen2, with a smaller chassis optimised for street racing. An additional front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear, more than doubling the regenerative capacity of the previous Gen2 car to 600kW, with more than 40 per cent of the energy used in-race regenerated under braking.
A premium experience inside the Boss Emotion Club
Hands down, the best seats in the house for getting closer to the action and a luxurious way to spend the weekend. The open-front terrace at the exclusive hospitality experience offers excellent vantage points for watching the on-track action. Guests were also treated to a lavish buffet, an open bar with unlimited signature mocktails, live entertainment, dedicated pit lane walks, plus a VIP viewing platform for the post-race concerts.
Two full days of fantastic entertainment
On-track action aside, the fan festival at the Allianz Fan Village saw plenty of entertainment, such as live music and roaming performances, racing simulators in the gaming arena, and a wide range of food and beverage options. Another highlight is the after-race concerts – a great end to another successful staging of the 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix. Fans were treated to a series of unforgettable shows at the main stage featuring global superstars, including Miguel and DJ Martin Garrix, who took to the stage on Friday while John Legend and French Montana put on electrifying performances in front of a packed crowd on Saturday night.
Images: Formula E