Race results from the official Formula E website

In one of the early seasons of Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister offers a stinging retort to the scheming Littlefinger, who tells her, “knowledge is power.” Adopting the determined expression we would learn to respect and fear in future episodes, the woman who would go on to sit on the Iron Throne says, “power is power.”

Formula E sometimes resembles an episode of Game of Thrones. In New York last season, the carnage was such that it seemed like a particularly chaotic battle on some Northern hellscape. It was apt in some ways that, for the second time, the Formula E season began in Diriyah, in an actual kingdom - Saudi Arabia - which, somewhat like House Lannister and King’s Landing, holds immense political clout, is regarded by much of the world with suspicion, and makes frequent attempts to present a softer profile.

Formula E would have been forgiven for being overshadowed by the Diriyah Season, a festival of family fun that used motorsport as its centrepiece, but also included concerts from Clean Bandit and Imagine Dragons. Thankfully, Clean Bandit’s violinist left the band in 2016, meaning Formula E would not be playing second fiddle. Not only that, the racing over both days was both clean and close, a fine advert for electric street racing, and enough to keep people glued to the screen without distractions.

BMW still fastest

Last year, Antonio Felix da Costa led from start to finish in what looked like the precursor to a dominant season for the BMW i Andretti team. That was not to be, with a lack of experience of winning, along with a brand new infrastructure, perhaps telling. This time around, Alexander Sims ended the double-header race meeting with the calm air of someone who himself had dominated a race.

Sims could have won both races, the Englishman starting from pole position twice, but the first race fell to Sam Bird and Envision Virgin Racing after he fought from fifth in the opening laps to win. Stuck behind Edoardo Mortara’s Venturi in the early stages, with the Swiss having to drive ultra-defensively, it was not a clear path to victory for Bird.