In 2024, for the 10th season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, China and India have been included in the calendar. This makes the all-electric single-seater series the only motorsport event to have races in the three biggest countries in the world by population: China, India and the USA.
Following approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, Shanghai and Hyderabad were confirmed as host cities in Season 10. This follows earlier confirmation of Tokyo as the venue for one round in 2024, the first time a motorsport world championship race will be held on the streets in the heart of the Japanese capital.
China is not new to Formula E; in fact, the first-ever race was held in September 2014 in Beijing, with Sanya and Hong Kong also hosting a total of 7 races in China to date, the most recent in March 2019. The country did not appear on the calendar during the past few years due to the pandemic.
It will be the first time that Formula E is run in Shanghai, with two rounds taking place in rounds in May 2024 at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Hyderabad will host Formula E again in February with support from the Telangana government and Minister K. T. Rama Rao and following the 31,000-capacity sold out debut race in February this year. The event is said to have delivered an uplift of almost US$84 million (about RM402 million) to the Hyderabad economy.
There are two further updates to the Season 10 calendar. The event planned for Jakarta on June will not take place following the announcement of a campaigning period in the Indonesian Presidential elections during most of June. This would impact the logistics of delivering a race on the streets of the capital city at the same time. Formula E and the authorities in Jakarta are currently exploring the feasibility of racing in the city on an alternative date.
The second update is a likely venue change in Italy for Rounds 7 and 8. This follows a review by experts at Formula E and the FIA into the Season 9 races in Rome, where the new faster, more powerful GEN3 car reached the limits of the narrow, sharp-turning circuit in Rome’s business district. Formula E is exploring alternative venues, including permanent circuits, to maintain an event in the key Italian market.
“Without doubt, our Season 10 calendar is the most compelling yet for drivers, teams, fans and viewers around the world. We are taking Formula E to Shanghai for the first time and are honoured to return to India, thanks to the support of the Telangana Government and Minister K. T. Rama Rao. The combination of street circuits, which is in Formula E’s DNA, and established race tracks will allow drivers to push the capabilities of the GEN3 car harder and further after a first season that beat all expectations with triple-digit overtakes in most races and the world championship titles decided on the final weekend,” said Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer of Formula E.