• ‘Diriyah is extremely demanding, it's very challenging, but I like it’ – Mortara
  • Tickets are available starting at SAR100 on the FIA Formula E website

DIRIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA: Street circuit specialist Edo Mortara has praised Diriyah’s track as “one of my favourite racing tracks of the entire Formula E season” ahead of this weekend’s Diriyah E-Prix – and loves the beauty of the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage site.

The 37-year-old Mahindra driver is relishing the next stage of the ABB FIA World Formula E World Championship in Diriyah on Friday and Saturday after the opening race of the season in Mexico.

With Diriyah a double header, and both of the second and third round races taking place at night under the lights, Mortara feels the Riyadh Street Circuit is the ideal location to shine.

Mortara said: “Diriyah is a very special racing track. I am kind of considered a street course specialist because I’ve won many times in Macau and other street racing courses, and I actually feel that Diriyah is quite similar. This is why I like it so much.

“Here, you need to have a nice flow through the corners. And it's also very important in a street racing course to be extremely precise, to go very close to the walls. I think that for racing drivers here that it's extremely demanding, it's very challenging, but I like it.”

The track flows past Diriyah's 15th century At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a stunningly beautiful symbol of Saudi Arabia's rich history and cultural tradition.

Asked whether he gets to appreciate the site’s beauty or whether – driving at speeds of more than 200kph – it requires complete concentration on the track, Mortara replied: “I would say both. I like actually to see the various historical sites that we have here, and I did visit them when I came on Tuesday. I also visited them last year, and it's always a pleasure to be here racing in such a historical site. It's lovely. Obviously when we are getting closer to the race weekend, then we need to be more focused on the racing.”

Over the past five editions of the Diriyah E-Prix, which began in December 2018, around 60% of attendees have been under the age of 35, and around 35% of attendees are women or girls.

The Swiss-Italian-French national, who hopes to improve on his 13th place finish in Mexico at the Diriyah E-Prix this weekend, said: “Having the races here inspires the next generation. I think that the population here is very young and I believe that fits quite well with our sport and hopefully it can trigger something in the people and motivate them into maybe becoming a racing driver or working in the motorsport environment. This would be great. We are providing entertainment, but maybe we can also provide the inspiration to become a racing driver or engineer or mechanic.

“I mean, I feel extremely lucky to be living and to be working in such a fantastic environment and to be doing what I'm doing. It’s always a pleasure to be racing – and when you're racing at one of your favourite racing tracks of the season, it's even better.”

This year’s Diriyah E-Prix is the latest illustration of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to host the very best international events across all sports.

As well as world class motor racing, the event offers a weekend of sport and entertainment, with OneRepublic, on Friday, and the Backstreet Boys, on Saturday, headlining a weekend of live music. Axwell and Nancy Ajram are also starring on the Friday night, while Afrojack and Cairokee perform on the Saturday. In addition to the incredible live music, there is entertainment for the whole family with a gaming arena, street food and much more. 

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 – and with more to come.

With a weekend of supercharged action and electrified entertainment fast approaching, fans can secure their seats through the FIA Formula E website for the January 26 & 27 races. Grandstand and general admission tickets are available from SAR100.

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About Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship:

As the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.

The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities are united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and planet.

www.FIAFormulaE.com

For Formula E media enquiries, please contact media@fiaformulae.com

About ABB:

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com

About CBX:

CBX is a global sports promoter, events production house, commercial consultancy, sponsorship and marketing firm. Founded in 2007, the company has worked in a variety of sporting sectors including motorsport, tennis and darts, delivering more than 40 events and activations globally.

Working with a variety of international partners, CBX and its production agency Stamina are the names behind the FIA Formula E Diriyah E-Prix, Extreme E in Saudi Arabia, 2023 Bahrain Darts Masters plus the inaugural E1 Series which commences next year, putting the Middle East on the map as the number one destination for world-class sporting events.

For CBX media enquiries, please contact Carla Corbet: cc@cbx.mc