This weekend’s Jeddah E-Prix marks Formula E’s second visit to the commercial hub of Saudi Arabia. The all-electric championship will once again race on a bespoke version of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, incorporating certain sections of the full Formula 1 layout.
While Jeddah is known for hosting the fastest street race on the F1 calendar, Formula E has worked with organisers to design a shorter and slower 3km layout tailored to the specific demands of the championship.
The lap begins on the same start/finish straight as F1, utilising the permanent pit complex and associated infrastructure.
The layout mirrors the grand prix circuit through Turns 1 to 3, before diverging at Turn 4, where a tight hairpin links the track to what corresponds to the Turn 21/22 section of the original layout.
The final section of the track is unchanged, including the looped final corner featured in F1.
However, to increase overtaking and energy regeneration opportunities, Formula E has also installed four additional straights on the track – two on the back straight and a further two along the main stretch.
In total, the Formula E configuration features 19 corners compared to 27 on the full grand prix layout.
While the modified FE layout has generally been well received, with some drawing comparisons to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, the artificial chicanes haven’t proved as popular.
Jeddah Formula E layout
Photo by: Formula E
What drivers think about the Jeddah Formula E layout
Mahindra’s Nyck de Vries, who is the only driver to have raced at Jeddah in both Formula E and Formula 1 machinery, explained the key differences between the two versions of the track.
“Obviously, our track version is much shorter,” the former Alpha Tauri F1 driver told Motorsport.com. “We don’t actually get to use that many corners because it’s just Turn 1, Turn 2 and Turn 3 that are exactly the same.
“Of course, Turn 5-6 for us is also the same as [Turn 22 and Turn 23 of] Formula 1, but in Formula E we arrive with a very different speed.
“The track turns out to be quite different for us [compared to F1].”
Andretti driver Jake Dennis raced on the full Jeddah layout when GT World Challenge Europe visited Saudi Arabia at the end of 2024.
The 2023 Formula E champion lamented the loss of the fast and sweeping opening section, but feels the championship has struck the right balance between speed and energy management.
“Ultimately, you do miss out on the really fun part in Formula E,” he told Motorsport.com. “You miss out on the whole of the first sector which is where the car can really come alive in any category you race in. So that’s a bit of a shame but obviously it’s done for certain reasons and I understand why. But the actual track layout in a Formula E car is pretty good.
“You know the racing that we have here is a really good blend of being able to lead, but then also save energy and be at the front when you need to be. So, from my understanding, it’s a good compromise.”
New Andretti signing Felipe Drugovich raced – and won – on the full Jeddah layout in Formula 2 in 2022 and described it as one of his favourite tracks.
“The full Jeddah track is super cool, I love it. It’s probably one of the best ones that I know. I’ve only driven the short version in the simulator. The simulator seems nice as well. Obviously, I still prefer the big one, but it’s still a cool track to drive on.”
Asked what makes the full Jeddah circuit so special, he added: “It just requires balls. Big balls!”
Cupra Kiro driver Dan Ticktum offered a similar assessment, saying: “I drove the full version [in] F2, it’s one of my favourite tracks I’ve driven actually.
“It [the FE version] is okay, I think we’ve got too many little chicanes, but it is what it is. It’s still fun to drive.”
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