The Diriyah ePrix came about through a ten-year agreement between the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation to host a Formula E round, forming part of Saudi Arabia's broader long-term plan to attract international sporting events to the kingdom. Diriyah, located on the north-western outskirts of Riyadh, provided a heritage setting for the race, with the ancient mud-brick ruins of the At-Turaif district — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — nearby.
The race was held at the Riyadh Street Circuit, a temporary layout measuring 2.495 km (1.550 mi) in length with 21 turns. This configuration was used for the 2018 and 2019 editions, with minor modifications introduced for the 2021 season onwards. The circuit became particularly associated with its night-race format, introduced for the 2021 season, when the track was illuminated with lights mounted above the circuit, giving the Diriyah ePrix a distinctive visual identity within the Formula E calendar.
The inaugural 2018 Saudia Ad Diriyah ePrix was held during daylight hours in December 2018, opening the fifth Formula E season and marking the debut of the Gen 2 car. Antonio Felix Da Costa, driving for BMW Andretti, took pole position and won the race — BMW's first victory in Formula E.
In 2019, the event was staged as a double-header weekend for the first time, with two races across Saturday and Sunday. Alexander Sims of BMW Andretti took pole for the first race but was unable to convert, with Sam Bird winning for Envision Virgin Racing. Sims again started from pole in the second race and this time converted it to victory.
The 2021 edition inaugurated the Diriyah night race. Nyck de Vries of Mercedes-EQ took pole and led every lap of the first race to claim his maiden Formula E victory. Robin Frijns started from pole in the second race but could not hold the lead across a contest that changed leaders eight times; Sam Bird won for Jaguar after the race was ended early following a late crash.
In 2022, Stoffel Vandoorne took pole under the revised Gen 3 qualifying system in the first race. His Mercedes-EQ teammate Nyck de Vries rose from third place to lead a Mercedes 1-2. The second race saw de Vries on pole again, but the win went to ROKIT Venturi Racing, a Mercedes customer team.
The 2023 Diriyah ePrix, held as rounds 2 and 3 of the new Gen 3 season following the opening race in Mexico City, saw Sebastien Buemi of Envision take pole for the first race. Pascal Wehrlein won for Porsche, with Jake Dennis finishing second from eleventh on the grid. In the second race, rookie Jake Hughes took pole for McLaren but was unable to hold his advantage, and Wehrlein won again, becoming the fifth driver in Formula E history to win two races at the same venue across the same weekend.
The final Diriyah ePrix was held on 26 and 27 January 2024. Nick Cassidy won the decisive race for Jaguar. Following the 2024 event, it was confirmed that the Saudi Arabian Formula E round would relocate from Diriyah to a new circuit in Jeddah, becoming the Jeddah ePrix from the 2024–25 season onwards.
The Diriyah ePrix broke new ground as Formula E's first foray into the Middle East and established Saudi Arabia as one of the championship's most committed long-term partners. The night race format introduced in 2021 became one of the most visually striking events in the calendar, and the venue produced a series of closely fought double-header weekends that contributed to championship deciders. Its replacement by the Jeddah ePrix continued the Saudi Arabian partnership with Formula E rather than ending it, with the move to a permanent Corniche circuit representing the next chapter of the relationship.