Extreme E Motorsport Kicks Off In Saudi Arabia

It looks set to be a huge year for sporting events in Saudi Arabia throughout 2023, as the Kingdom will host a variety of major competitions. Many sports have opted to host events in the nation over recent years, given the huge money on offer, and the passionate fans that attend the competitions. This has been evident by the number of bettors that have been making wagers on the action hosted in the nation on the best betting sites in Saudi Arabia. However, one of the newest sports that locals will be able to enjoy in 2023 is Ex

There is a belief that the sport could become hugely popular following the success that Formula 1 has enjoyed within the nation since the first edition of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was held a few years ago.

What Is Extreme E?

Extreme E is a recently introduced form of motorsport racing, having been sanctioned by the DIA in 2021. The first edition of the event was held in April 2021 in the Saudi Arabian desert and was a great success.

Unlike Formula 1, there is no track circuit to follow in Extreme E, as the racing locations are chosen to raise awareness for aspects surrounding climate change. When hosting races on the schedule around the world, FE also promises to provide environmental and social support for the locations that are included.

It is also a renowned competition for promoting gender equality, with all teams required to include both male and female drivers to share driving duties. It promises to be another thrilling series, with Team X44 coming into the 2023 season as the defending Teams’ Champions, with Cristiana Gutierrez and Sebastien Loeb holding the individual titles.

Saudi Arabia To Host First Race

For the third season running, the first race of the new season will be staged in Saudi Arabia. The all-electric off-road cars will be taken to the desert, as they compete in the Desert X Prix, with the action getting underway on March 11. There will also be exciting action on the following day, as the cars will once again be wowing audiences and viewers from around the world.

It will be a double-header weekend, which means that it will give teams and drivers double the chance of finishing with a victory or a place on the podium. The driver that claims victory in the race will pick up 25 points, with the second receiving 18 points and the driver finishing third taking 15 points on the leaderboard.

Neom, a planned smart city in the northwestern part of Saudi Arabia, will once again serve as the host of the Extreme E race. Since its establishment in 2017, the location has become increasingly well-known thanks to the success of the Extreme E series in the country

Thrilling 2022 Season

The 2023 season looks to be the biggest in the short history of the event, as it will feature ten races, making it a longer campaign than the 2022 series. The 2022 event featured just five races, with four different continents having the opportunity to host races.

Like last season, the Saudi Arabian race kickstarts the season, before the action moves to Scotland and then Italy for two double-headers. The seventh and eighth races of the season are yet to be determined, with either the United States or Brazil hosting the race weekend. Meanwhile, the final two races will be staged in Chile in early December.

Last season, the overall standings were dominated by Cristina Gutierrez and Sebastien Loeb, with the two drivers claiming victory in the Drivers’ Championship. However, there is expected to be a renewed bid in 2023 from Johan Kristoffersson, who managed to finish second in the overall standings last season, despite winning more races than the eventual winners. However, their tenth-place finish in the season-ending race in Uruguay would ultimately damage their chances of victory in the series.

Final Thoughts

This year promises to be another massive calendar year for sports fans in Saudi Arabia, with some of the biggest stars set to compete in their chosen sports in the nation. There are already huge golf events set for the Kingdom this year, with Formula 1 also returning in the middle of March. However, the addition of Extreme E in recent years has enabled it to become one of the fastest-growing sports within the region.