- The lessons learned by the General Sports Authority from hosting the 2018 series have helped it to make improvements for this year鈥檚 edition, says its Chairman Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal
DIRIYAH, Riyadh: Saudi sports chiefs have set themselves an annual rolling target of bringing 鈥渕emorable new experiences鈥� to racing fans in the Kingdom following the success of the weekend鈥檚 Formula E Diriyah E-Prix.
Chairman of the General Sports Authority (GSA), Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, told Arab News on Saturday during the second round of the electric car championship at Diriyah Circuit, that the lessons learned by the authority from hosting the 2018 series had helped it to make improvements for this year鈥檚 edition.
The Kingdom was also making another 鈥渆xciting鈥� leap by hosting the Dakar Rally in January next year, but the prince admitted that organizing the world-famous event had been a 鈥渓ogistical nightmare.鈥�
He added that constant assessment of the organization of largescale events was crucial in making memorable experiences for fans.
鈥淥ne thing is for sure, we had a smoother process this year, and much smoother operations. Although we had issues that normally come up with big events, I think we鈥檝e learned so much and it was the first time we had hosted something this big last year.
鈥淓verything grew dramatically this year, as has the GSA 鈥� now we鈥檙e doing a whole month of events, not just three days,鈥� the prince said.
鈥淚 think the challenge is, last year we had the 鈥榳ow factor鈥� because nothing like this had happened and people were amazed. But this year, we no longer had that 鈥榳ow factor,鈥� so then you ask, 鈥榳hat are you going to replace it with?鈥� You go with a better set-up around the track and you promote it better. You make sure the fan experience 鈥� from transportation to walking in, all of these things, are smoother and that it is enjoyable.
鈥淚 think every year we need to refine that to make sure their experience of Formula E is different to the last,鈥� he added.
Prince Abdul Aziz noted that he was pleased with the outcome of turning the Formula E event in 黑料社区 into a double-header weekend of racing.
HIGHLIGHTS
鈥� The prince says he is pleased with the outcome of turning the Formula E event in 黑料社区 into a double-header weekend of racing.
鈥� He says that bringing Formula E to 黑料社区, as well other sporting events in the coming months, is part of the wider Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan.
鈥淭he format of Formula E is that everything happens in one day 鈥� that is something we learned from our experience last year. So, this year we wanted to give something more, so we said we would do two rounds in one weekend 鈥� and people are enjoying the atmosphere and there is more content over the weekend, which gives us value in everything we do,鈥� he said.
The prince pointed out that bringing Formula E to the Kingdom, as well other sporting events in the coming months, was part of the wider Saudi Vision 2030 reform plan.
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Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal was speaking at the second round of the Formula E Championship at Diriyah Circuit. (Supplied)
Formula E started everything. So, last year we had the race and the concerts, and we saw the government doing the 鈥楽easons鈥� from March, whether it was in the Eastern Province, Jeddah or Taif 鈥� then we had the Diriyah Season.
鈥淔ormula E marks the launch of the Diriyah Season, the first weekend in a month of big, standalone international events that we鈥檙e promoting in the Kingdom. Formula E is part of the overall plan of hosting big events and promoting sports,鈥� Prince Abdul Aziz added.
The lessons learned from hosting two editions of Formula E has given the GSA the experience needed to bring other top-class motorsport events to the Kingdom, such as the Dakar Rally taking place in January 2020.
鈥淒akar is happening on Jan. 5 to 17, which I think is the biggest motorsport event you can host 鈥� it spans 12 days, it鈥檚 across the Kingdom and is almost 9,500 kilometers long with 351 participants from all over the world.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited for it, but it鈥檚 a logistical nightmare. I thought that we learned a lot last year from doing Formula E 鈥� preparing even the marshals and getting our expertise up. Dakar was just another leap, and we鈥檝e signed for 10 years with Dakar,鈥� he said.
Carlo Boutagy, CEO of CBX, the firm responsible for constructing the Diriyah Circuit and promoter of the E-Prix, said viewing figures for the Riyadh race had grown this year.
鈥淟ast year, 38 million viewers worldwide were watching this race specifically, and Formula E grows every year, season after season. I think we are expecting 45 million per race (this year), so with a two-day race, about 90 million viewers.鈥�