– National flag carrier of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia acquires naming rights as race title sponsor for 2019 SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix double-header
– Official airline partner of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship to sponsor home race in Diriyah UNESCO world heritage site for second season in succession
– SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix to get season six off to a flying start with two races scheduled to take place over two days on November 22 & 23
DIRIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA (November 21, 2019) – Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is set to be the race title sponsor for the season opener of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, acquiring the naming rights for the 2019 SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix double-header.
Coming on board ahead of the previous season and the debut of electric racing in the Middle East, SAUDIA is also the official airline partner of Formula E and this year’s event will once again see the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sponsor their home race in the region.
The new season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship gets off to a flying start with the SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix and two races scheduled on November 22 & 23. To find out where to watch, visit –
www.FIAFormulaE.com/watch
Chief Executive Officer of Formula E
Jamie Reigle
“We are delighted to once again see SAUDIA put their name to their home race in the region, sponsoring the season opener double-header in Diriyah. The 2018 event made history as the first Formula E race to be held in the Middle East and it was a huge success together with SAUDIA as title sponsor. We are looking to build upon last year’s momentum and get season six off to a flying start with even closer racing and the most competitive grid in motorsport. As official airline partner, we are particularly proud to see this collaboration take off, supporting Formula E’s mission in an emerging market for electric vehicles.”
Vice President Corporate Communications Saudi Arabian Airlines
Fahad Bahdailah
“Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is very pleased to once again be the race title sponsor of the Diriyah E-Prix. The airline warmly welcomes all guests, and we look forward to the thrilling races ahead.”
About the ABB FIA Formula E Championship:
Electric is 45-minutes of non-stop action. The ABB FIA Formula E Championship is the closest and most competitive category in motorsport, with unpredictable and exciting electric racing in the centre of the world’s most iconic cities. Formula E is the fastest-growing series in motorsport and boasts the best roster in racing, where renowned road car manufacturers and automotive brands battle for points, position and bragging rights.
Electric is the only race that matters. Formula E is more than just a race on the track, it’s also a proving ground and platform with a higher purpose – to test new technologies, drive development to the production line and put more electric cars on the road. Using the spectacle of sport, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship is sending a powerful and meaningful message to help alter perceptions and speed-up the switch to electric, in a bid to counteract the climate crisis as well as addressing the devastating effects of air pollution.
www.FIAFormulaE.com
About ABB:
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader with a comprehensive offering for digital industries. With a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB is today a leader in digital industries with four customer-focussed, globally leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation, supported by its common ABB Ability™ digital platform. ABB’s market-leading Power Grids business will be divested to Hitachi in 2020. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 147,000 employees.
www.abb.com
About Saudi Arabian Airlines:
SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES (SAUDIA) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
SAUDIA flies to more than 95 destinations worldwide, with a modern fleet of more than 170 narrow and widebody aircraft. SAUDIA’s fleet includes latest state-of-the-art inflight entertainment systems and features, including onboard WiFi and more than 4000 hours of Hollywood premiere and latest television shows, box sets, music, multi-language, international, and children’s programming, as well as digital and audiobooks and much more. SAUDIA flies one of the youngest fleets in the skies, with an average age of less than five years.
Sources: Formula E PR
Antonio Felix da Costa (BMW i Andretti Motorsport) heading the field through the first chicane at the inaugural 2018 SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix last season. – ‘Courtesy of Formula E’.