Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans during the press conference in Diriyah on Thursday.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Following a free practice on Thursday, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship kicked off in Saudi Arabia for another double-header, with the races scheduled for Friday and Saturday taking place in Diriyah.

With 11 teams comprising one of the best drivers in their line-up, the iconic Diriyah Street Circuit, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its tricky twists and turns, hosts the 2024 Diriyah E-Prix, which features Rounds 2 and 3 in the 10th season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Jaguar TCS Racing heads to the Diriyah E-Prix with fond memories and high hopes, having secured three podiums and a thrilling victory in previous races under the lights in Saudi Arabia.

Spearheading the Jaguar TCS Racing team, the two New Zealander drivers, Nick Cassidy and Mitch Evans, are eager to build on their strong start in Mexico City, where they finished P3 and P5, respectively, propelling the team to second place in the World Championship with 26 points.

TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, who reigned supreme at the season opener in Mexico, will be aiming to extend his early lead.

Cassidy sits in the third position in the standings. Motivated by fond memories of Diriyah, where they previously secured three podiums and a race win, Jaguar TCS Racing drivers have been putting in significant effort to build on their success.

With eyes firmly set on the podium, Evans, while speaking to the media, said the team is ready and the ultimate goal is to get the best desired results.

Admitting the challenges of navigating the tricky Diriyah track, Evans stressed on maintaining the rhythm while avoiding chances of error during the race as the key to success here.

Evans finished third in the 2023 Drivers’ World Championship with 197 points, his biggest points haul in Formula E, while Cassidy joins the team’s driver line-up ahead of the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, Nissan's Oliver Rowland claimed the top spot in the opening free practice. The ever-evolving track conditions led to continuous improvements in lap times, although a momentary pause occurred when Sebastien Buemi's Envision Racing car came to a stop on the track.

Jean-Eric Vergne of Ds Penske secured the second position, trailing Rowland by 0.165 seconds, while his team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne claimed the third spot. Reigning World Champion Jake Dennis of Andretti concluded the session in fourth place, with a surprise entry from ERT's Sergio Sette Camara rounding out the top five.

The Envision Racing pair, Buemi and Frijns, were the initial drivers to set lap times, prompting the rest of the grid to swiftly follow suit. Dennis from Andretti, although he was the last to register a time.

Just past the midway point of the session, double yellow flags were unfurled as Buemi's car halted on the circuit between turns three and four. As a result of the delay, the session was extended by 12 minutes by the FIA to make sure the drivers got as many laps on the board as possible ahead of race day on Friday.