China returns as Jakarta and Cape Town get dropped from 2024 Formula E

Formula E has announced a return to China with two events at the Shanghai F1 circuit as part of a 2024 calendar that excludes the Jakarta, Rome, and Cape Town E-Prixes.

The 16-round calendar for the 2024 Formula E season, which is set to start in Mexico City on January, has been announced ahead of next week’s preseason tests. However, Jakarta and Cape Town which made the season nine launch, have been left out.

Season 10’s calendar is remarkably different from season 9’s as Formula E will return to China, but it will take place at the Shanghai International Circuit, which also hosts Formula 1. Meanwhile, Hyderabad has been listed although there have been rumors that it may be dropped.

The same, unfortunately, cannot be said about Cape Town, which was among the favorites last year, mostly because it was the venue of one of the most outstanding races during the Gen3 era so far. Additionally, there won’t be a doubleheader in Jakarta.

The same, unfortunately, cannot be said about Cape Town, which was among the favorites last year, mostly because it was the venue of one of the most outstanding races during the Gen3 era so far. Additionally, there won’t be a doubleheader in Jakarta.

According to Formula E, Jakarta’s elimination from the schedule was caused by the recent declaration of a campaigning period in the Indonesian presidential elections during the month of June. This was thought to have an excessively negative effect on the logistics of trying to hold a fourth E-Prix.

Additionally, the Rome E-Prix which has been held at the Circuito Cittadino dell’ EUR since 2018, won’t be holding a race in 2024.

On the contrary, a different Italian location is being sought after what Formula E asserted was a review of the Season Nine races in Rome [last July], where the new faster, more powerful Gen3 car reached the limits of the narrow, sharp-turning circuit in Rome’s business district.

This specifically relates to the disaster that Sam Bird’s Jaguar caused in Race 1’s fast and blind Turn 6, which in turn led to a multi-car crash and the wreckage of a number of cars. Bird’s collision with a manhole cover on the track—which several other drivers had also done in prior seasons—caused the mishap.

Misano and Imola have reportedly been considered as prospective replacements for the Rome city circuit in order to preserve an Italian race in mid-April.

Similar to season nine, season 10 will get underway in Mexico City on January 13 and then head for the first doubleheader in Diriyah on January 26 and 27. On February 10, Hyderabad will still serve as the third round and later in March 16 of the following month, Sao Paulo will return.

After that is the eagerly awaited first Tokyo E-Prix, which is set for March 30. Later on April 13 and 14, there will be a double-header in Italy. The annual trip to Monaco for Formula E then takes place on April 27th.

The Berlin doubleheader, which starts on May 11 and 12, will be the next event. However, WEC will conflict with the Berlin E-Prix now that those dates have been confirmed. There will be six hours of Spa-Francorchamps, which means that some drivers, including the two drivers from Envision Racing, could find themselves missing in action.

After the trip to Berlin, Shanghai will also host a doubleheader, but it won’t be in the typical way as the Chinese city will host an E-Prix over two weekends. May 25 and June 8 are the dates for these races.

Formula E will make a third trip to Portland on June 29 before the season finale doubleheader is once again held at the ExCeL Centre in London. However, July 20 and 21 will be earlier than usual for the season finale. The 16 rounds will be spread out among 11 cities in 11 different countries.

The co-founder and chief championship officer of Formula E, Alberto Longo, hailed the Season 10 calendar as the most captivating ever for drivers, teams, fans, and spectators worldwide.

“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,” said Longo.

“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.”

Any further adjustments to the calendar are anticipated to be made before the end of 2023.

Season 10 -2023/24 Formula E Calendar