Saudia Racing for the Future with Formula E Racing Driver and Saudia Ambassador Stoffel Vandoorne

Saudi Arabia as a Sustainable Holiday Destination

By Stoffel Vandoorne, FE racing driver, 2022 FIA FE World Champion and SAUDIA Ambassador for the 2023 season

Formula E was one of the first sports to bring an international audience to Saudi Arabia, and the Diriyah ePrix in 2018 marked the first race of the all-electric world championship to take place in the Kingdom. I wasn’t racing then, as I first experienced the circuit in 2022, but I could already sense the Kingdom’s ambition to bring the world to its skies. 

Five years later, no one can deny that Saudi Arabia is reinventing tourism, unveiling its wonders and attracting tourists that probably had never considered Saudi Arabia’s proposition as a must-see destination. If it hadn’t been for Formula E, I am not sure I would have considered travelling there myself, but this testament to the power of sport: it opens your horizons and tears down misconceptions, enabling you to see the world as one huge stage where everything and anything is possible. And here I was, twice, racing in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site in Saudi Arabia, representing its national airline, SAUDIA, as their global ambassador for the 2023 season.

Unprecedented stakes

The stakes for the Kingdom are huge. In line with Vision 2030, the nation has committed to diversifying its economy away from oil, with innovation and sustainability at its core. I believe that there are so many synergies between Formula E and Saudi Arabia’s approach to aviation, and this is what guided my choice to commit to represent SAUDIA. And one of these is the airline’s efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, through major investments.

Times are changing at the speed of light, or should I say, a race car, and we don’t have a choice but to adapt and fight the increasing threat that climate change represents to humanity. And with this, I ask myself questions like ‘What is the future of sports, tourism and entertainment if we have to drastically reduce our energy consumption? Do we have to stop it all in order to protect our planet? But then, how could humanity thrive if people are no longer able to travel, exchange, be entertained, dream? I strongly believe that innovation is the key to tackling this challenge.

Indeed, since the birth of Formula E in 2011, the sport has been at the forefront of innovation, developing the technology and infrastructures that have allowed today’s electric vehicle to become mainstream, revolutionizing mobility and enabling it to become cleaner. Since the first Formula E race, the number of electric car models has increased by six times. This proves how much of a positive impact the sport, thanks to its popularity, can have.

Collaboration to drive innovation

Few people would have bet on Formula E back when it all started, claiming that the speed and range of electric cars were too limited compared to Formula 1, that it would not attract big names and was posing too many technical challenges. Today, it is considered to be one of the most exciting motorsports, attracting crowds from around the world, and subsequently big-name teams, manufacturers and partners, like SAUDIA. While there is still a lot to achieve to make the sport more sustainable, particularly around logistics, the potential for further advancement is undeniable. However, cross-sector collaboration is crucial to truly drive change. Sport and aviation share a common ambition to reduce their environmental footprints. The sectors can support each other not only by raising awareness around each sector’s unique environmental issues, but also by sharing technology knowledge, investing more in R&D, and influencing policy together.

The time for inaction has long since passed. I am extremely lucky to be able to make a living from my passion, car racing, but it cannot be at the expense of my environment. I chose Formula E because it is the future. And I chose to represent SAUDIA because I see the investments they’re making as an airline, for example through the purchase of Lilium electric jets, fuel efficient aircraft or sustainable material onboard. The Airclad technology they used for their stand during the races, enabling it to be shipped from a circuit to another with limited carbon emissions, is also proof of the consistency of their efforts.

If car racing managed to reinvent itself with Formula E in just over 10 years, imagine what we can – and should – do in a sector such as aviation. The stakes are so high that we don’t have another choice than to team up for the greater good.

I believe SAUDIA and Saudi Arabia are to tourism what Formula E is to motorsports: innovative without forgetting its roots, a blank canvas with an amazing potential to touch everyone, a surprise to newcomers who will cherish the memories forever.

About Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA)  

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is the national airline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company was founded in 1945 and has grown to become one of the largest airlines in the Middle East.  

SAUDIA has invested significantly in modernizing its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleets. The airline serves an extensive global route network with approximately 100 destinations on four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia. 

SAUDIA is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) and has also been a member of SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012.  

The airline is ranked as a Global Five-Star Major Airline by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and was awarded Diamond status by APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying in recognition of its comprehensive approach to safety during the pandemic.  

Recently, SAUDIA was named the Middle East's Fastest Growing Airline in 2022 by Brand Finance® and the World's Most Advanced Airline in 2021 by Skytrax, marking the second time it has received this prestigious award. 

For more information about Saudi Arabian Airlines, please visit www.saudia.com. 

All images from Canva