In a season marked by changes to the qualifying system, which no longer hurts the strongest drivers, as is the case of the Portuguese, Félix da Costa hopes to regain the title he already won in 2020.

"Finally the time has come. It's always special this adrenaline feeling of starting a season. Everyone starts from scratch and nobody knows very well what to expect. So I leave with moderate confidence for this first race," stressed the 30-year-old driver from Cascais.

Félix da Costa points out some improvements in this year's car.

"In that aspect, we did our homework well, but we will only know our level compared to our opponents when everything starts. The whole team is very united and mentally strong", underlined the driver who races for DS.

Speaking to the championship's official website, António Félix da Costa remembered that last year they were "knocked out", something he didn't like, but he stressed that, this year, there was "a lot of work" for a return "to victories".

"I hate to be just another one. I did that too long at my start in Formula E, at a time when I didn't have the tools to fight for wins and the championship. But when you get here [to the level of fighting for the title], it's addictive and you don't want to go back," said the Portuguese, who will team up again with former champion, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne.

The big change in Formula E this year is in the qualifying format. In previous years, the drivers were divided into four groups and the fastest six went to Superpole.

Félix da Costa complained that this system distorted qualifying, with several drivers losing out because they were in Group 1, where the track was traditionally slower.

This year, the group stage will be with only two groups instead of four (odd and even positions in the championship).

The drivers in each group will have 10 minutes to set the best time and move on to the next stage, which will be in a knockout system.

The winners of the quarter-finals will then move on to the semi-finals, and the two winners will compete in the final to fight for pole position.

Another change in the regulation is related to the yellow flags during the safety car regime.

Previously, the drivers lost some of the energy that was not spent during these neutralisation periods (1kW per minute).

This system led to the retirement and disqualification of several drivers at last year's E-Prix in Valencia (Spain) after the race management took power away from drivers after a safety car period on track, resulting in less than a dozen cars completing the race.

This year there will be an 'extra time' every minute under yellow flags or safety car and 45 seconds will be added to the overall time (in addition to the final lap). The limit of time that can be added is 10 minutes.

The cars, in the latest second generation year, are more powerful, generating 220KW (200 in 2021), reaching 250KW in attack mode (235KW last year).

The championship will feature 16 races split across 10 events.

Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia, hosts the first double round, with races to be held on 28 and 29 January, on a stage where Félix da Costa won a year ago.

There will be 22 drivers from 12 different teams on track for what will be the eighth season of the championship, with Maserati's return to motor racing a highlight.

Dutchman Nick de Vries (Mercedes) starts as reigning champion.