Valencia to host E-Prix for first time as next batch of Formula E races revealed

Valencia will stage its first Formula E E-Prix in April with the world championship confirming its next set of races for the 2021 season. 

FE was forced to make changes to its planned season seven calendar when the double-header round in Santiago was postponed in December following the rapid spread of a new variant of the COVID-19 virus.

The all-electric series responded by confirming that its pair of Saudi Arabia night races would go ahead as planned late next month, with the season-opener scheduled to take place on 26-27 February.

On Thursday, FE announced the next batch of seven races, featuring a first competitive visit to Valencia and the rescheduled double-header in Chile.

Following a hiatus with no races through March, the 2021 season will continue with the Rome E-Prix on 10 April with Italy returning to the calendar for the first time since 2019, before Valencia stages its first-ever E-Prix on 24 April.

The Circuit Ricardo Tormo has held pre-season testing for the past three seasons but the first competitive Spanish outing will take place on a new circuit configuration designed especially for FE. It will be the first time in its history that the series will race at a permanent circuit. 

Despite concerns over whether the Monaco E-Prix could go ahead as planned amid the pandemic, the fourth biennial race in the Principality has been given the green light for an 8 May slot, boosting the circuit’s hopes of staging the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix at the end of the month.

FE will then visit Morocco for the fifth Marrakesh E-Prix on 22 May, before rounds seven and eight take place in Santiago on 5-6 June.

The Sanya E-Prix and the inaugural Seoul E-Prix remain postponed and a final decision over both events will be taken when the remainder of the calendar is announced in early spring.

“We are committed to delivering a global calendar that befits our first season as a World Championship,” said FE CEO Jamie Reigle.

“We are working closely with all our partners across teams, manufacturers, sponsors, broadcasters and host cities to adapt to external circumstances and ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.

“We will do so while maintaining what fans love most about Formula E: unpredictable racing, iconic locations and the blend of the real and virtual worlds, all underpinned by our race for better futures.”

A race in Paris is no longer viable due to current health and safety considerations, and attention has instead turned to France returning to the FE calendar for season eight.

FE said it will “continue to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and is in constant communication with its community of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters and host cities”.

All calendar updates depend on travel restrictions, local government protocols and are subject to the approval of the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

FE co-founder Alberto Longo said: “Working on the championship calendar in ‘normal’ circumstances is already an extensive task that takes months of planning and preparation, in collaboration with numerous cities and stakeholders.

“This next set of races demonstrates the agility of Formula E to react to any given situation and still create a compelling and demanding calendar for teams and drivers.

“We continue to work on the last set of races and ensure our first season as an FIA World Championship lives up to our own expectations and those of our fans.”