(MENAFN- The Arabian Post) Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

The all-electric championship ABB FIA Formula E World Championship rolled into Jeddah's Corniche Circuit for its first-ever double-header round, delivering a pair of night races under floodlights that combined high-speed action with a strategic twist. The event marked the debut of PIT BOOST, a mid-race 600 kW fast-charging stop that injects roughly 10 percent extra energy into the cars - a shift set to redefine Formula E's competitive dynamics.

Drivers navigated the 3.001-kilometre layout of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit - adapted for Formula E with 19 turns and modified chicanes to test energy management and overtaking skill. In Round 3, pole-sitter Maximilian Günther of DS Penske held off rivals across a chaotic mid-race charge stop to secure victory, with Oliver Rowland and Taylor Barnard completing the podium. Gundther also posted the fastest lap during the race.

Round 4 turned tactics upside down when Rowland turned pole position into a commanding win, while Barnard and Jake Hughes clinched second and third. The contrasting race results underlined how PIT BOOST can influence race outcomes dramatically - positioning at the start matters less when energy strategies diverge mid-race.

PIT BOOST compelled all 22 drivers to make a mandatory stop for a 30-second battery recharge, adding roughly 3.85 kWh mid-race. Only one car per team may use the charging rig at a time, and no mechanical work is permitted during the stop. The concept, first mooted several seasons ago, had been delayed until technical and safety standards were satisfied.

Organisers believe this innovation will bring Formula E's technological mission full-circle - showcasing fast-charging EV tech on the track that could accelerate adoption in road-going electric vehicles. Critics warn, however, that the 30-second pit stops risk breaking the flow of close racing, as cars may emerge at very different times and spread the field. Teams will need to master pressure-packed decisions on when exactly to pit as well as how to deploy the extra energy - a decision that could make or break a race.

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