The desert is calling – just two weeks after the season-opener in Mexico, Hankook and Formula E are heading to Saudi Arabia for the first double-header of the season. A special highlight for the fans, and a real challenge for the Hankook iON Race: races two and three of Season 10 on 26th and 27th January are night races and will take place under floodlights. The street circuit in Diriyah, on the outskirts of the capital Riyadh, takes the drivers around the historic city walls. The dramatic changes in temperature between day and night, desert sand on the track, and the narrow circuit with a total of 21 corners make round two of the season a major challenge for the Hankook iON Race. “Our tyre impressed in the desert last year, when it mastered all the challenges with its strong and reliable performance. The Hankook iON Race allowed the drivers to produce some spectacular driving and overtaking manoeuvres, even towards the end of the race. This year, the drivers will again be able to rely on our tyre and push for the full race distance, thanks to its high grip level,” says Manfred Sandbichler, Hankook Director Motorsport.
The Diriyah circuit:
Length
2.495 km
Number of corners
21 (twelve right, nine left)
Direction
Clockwise
Attack Zone
Turn 19
Layout
No other Formula E circuit has as many corners and winding sections. In total, the drivers must navigate their way through 21 corners on each 2.495-kilometre lap. The direction of travel is clockwise. While the sheer number of corners makes the first half of the street circuit very technical, the second half primarily consists of two longer straights. The straights ahead of turns 1, 18 and 21 should offer good overtaking opportunities.
