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Saudi Arabia has become the first recipient of Formula E’s new Best Host Country award, recognised for its contribution to delivering the all-electric championship and for establishing a high standard in event delivery, infrastructure and partnership.
The accolade was presented during the 2025/26 Season Formula E End of Season Awards in London. It acknowledges Saudi Arabia’s role in hosting the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since 2018, as well as the operational work behind the championship’s events in the Kingdom.
The award also reflects the support of the Ministry of Sport, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, Saudi Motorsport Company and Sela, alongside Formula E’s partners, volunteers and event personnel.
HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation and Saudi Motorsport Company, said the award recognised Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a global destination for world-class motorsport.
“Since Formula E first arrived in the Kingdom, it has become a cornerstone of our motorsport journey, showcasing innovation, sustainability and sporting excellence while supporting our long-term ambitions for the sector,” he said.
Saudi Arabia’s Formula E partnership has developed significantly since 2018. After the race moved from Diriyah to Jeddah in 2025, the inaugural Jeddah E-Prix became the most-watched Formula E race weekend in history, attracting 65 million cumulative global viewers.
Jeddah also hosted the first introduction of the championship’s PIT BOOST feature in Season 11. Mandatory mid-race pit stops debuted during the Kingdom’s double-header before being used across the season’s subsequent double-header events. The recognition arrives shortly after a major Formula E title conclusion, covered in Taylor Barnard’s London E-Prix victory and Pascal Wehrlein’s title success.
Saudi Arabia will host the opening double-header of the 2026/27 Formula E season on December 18–19, 2026. The weekend will mark the competitive debut of the GEN4 race car, beginning what Formula E describes as a new era featuring faster performance, greater efficiency and enhanced racing.
Alberto Longo, Formula E’s Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, said the long-term support of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, Saudi Motorsport Company and Ministry of Sport had been instrumental since 2018. He added that the partnership remained aligned with the goals of Vision 2030 and a shared vision for a sustainable future.
With the inaugural award now secured, Saudi Arabia’s next challenge is to maintain that benchmark as its Formula E partnership enters another phase of innovation and international growth.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.