• Diriyah E-Prix takes place on Friday and Saturday in Riyadh
• Gunther reckons night races ‘absolutely’ take street racing back to its traditional roots
• Tickets are available starting at SAR100 on the FIA Formula E website
DIRIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA: 26 January 2024: Maserati MSG Racing driver Max Gunther says he would love to see more night races in the ABB FIA World Formula E World Championship, as he praised the “special atmosphere” of the upcoming Diriyah E-Prix.
After the opening race of the season in Mexico, the 26-year-old German-Austrian driver is relishing the double header in Diriyah on Friday and Saturday – where both the round two and three races take place at night under the lights.
Gunther is a huge fan of the format and believes night races “absolutely” take street racing back to its traditional roots.
Gunther said: “If the choice belonged to me, I would love to have more night races. They are spectacular and it would be cool to have this more often.
“There’s a special atmosphere here, and this is a special weekend. The different lighting, different reflections as a driver, you need to adapt – things such as your visor choice.
“Actually, there’s a few things. In the race, it’s different because you have a lot more impressions of the cars around you and when the brake light is flashing. There’s a lot of small things that are just different. And night races just look amazing if you’re a fan of motorsport.”
Gunther also praised the Riyadh Street Circuit track, which flows past Diriyah's 15th century At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site, a stunningly beautiful symbol of Saudi Arabia's rich history and cultural tradition.
Gunther said: “We see all the great surroundings and it’s really special for racing. The track is so special because it's super technical. It's very fast. It's a lot about confidence. And then on the other hand, it's extremely dirty. It's very slippery with all the sand and there is future evolution over the weekend from session to session. So, you constantly have to adapt to this condition, and that's what makes it so special for racing.”
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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