Why the new Formula E season got off to such a controversial start

With the new Formula E season belatedly getting underway in Saudi Arabia, the championship appeared to try to make up for lost time with an overspill of action and controversy on and off the track. While some talking points could have serious repercussions, it was an explosive opener for many reasons

Published Mar 1, 2021, 12:18 PM

Formula E called its delayed 2021 curtain-raiser the 'Diriyah E-Prix'. But labelling the double-header night races on the Riyadh Street Circuit as 'Motorsport's Greatest Hits: Volume One' better reflects events. Mercedes domination, an already vintage overtake, a victorious Sam Bird extending a record, champion team-mates clashing, two terrifying crashes, attempted fisticuffs and a heap of sporting and political controversy all played out in Saudi Arabia.

The championship employed its usual razzmatazz to emphasise the unpredictability that looks set to ensue this term, with 10 teams eminently capable of winning a race. However, come the bitterly cold media pen session on Friday night, drivers were already batting away premature questions asking if Merc's recent grip on F1 was ready to be transposed to FE.

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Author Matt Kew

Matt Kew is Autosport’s F1 Editor, a role he has held since March 2022 following stints covering Formula E, Extreme E and the British Touring Car Championship.

Matt joined Autosport in 2018 to work predominantly on the magazine, but his relentless quoting of Alan Partridge meant office colleagues soon thought he would be better-suited to increased field work.

Needless to say, Matt had the last laugh when he won the Motorsport UK Young Journalist of the Year Award in 2019.

His interest in motorsport was sparked by regular trips to watch ASCAR crash around Rockingham’s banked oval.

Matt read politics and philosophy at the University of Sheffield - receiving first-class honours for his dissertation assessing the lack of female participation in top-tier motor racing.

He covered a wide variety of national race and rally meetings for Autosport as a freelancer before joining full-time. His best efforts to argue the merits of historic racing are undone by a questionable taste in music and James Bond actors.