Due to WEC clash: Formula E is considering a last-minute update of the 2026/27 race calendar

Just a few weeks ago, Formula E unveiled its new race calendar for the start of the Gen4 era. However, changes to the schedule may already be under consideration. The reason is said to be the two clashes with the World Endurance Championship (WEC). In addition, Formula E has expressed interest in a second race in Germany, which could be envisaged for the distant future.

The unveiling of the new race calendar for the 2026/27 season took place just over two weeks ago, but it immediately caused a stir. Leading the way, Envision driver Sébastien Buemi expressed his displeasure at the clashes with the WEC. After all, he – like several other drivers – is on a double programme. As Envision requires its drivers to focus almost exclusively on Formula E, the Swiss driver’s future in the electric racing series is currently still up in the air.

During the race weekend in Shanghai, rumours began to circulate within the paddock that a change to the calendar might be on the cards in at least one of the two cases. The Monaco E-Prix is currently scheduled for the weekend of 15 and 16 May 2027, which, as is well known, clashes with the WEC race at Spa and thus falls squarely within the preparation phase for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In Buemi’s case, this makes him absolutely indispensable to Toyota. According to our colleagues at FE Notebook, Formula E is now considering bringing the Monaco event forward by two weeks, should this be feasible.

Dodds: "No rescheduling without approval"

When asked about the issue, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds told FE Notebook: "If we wanted to change the Monaco date, and perhaps that is a live conversation, that change would not be ratified until it was sent to the FIA and approved by the World Motor Sport Council. I think the next one is September or October time. So, even if we wanted to, and perhaps there has been a suggestion that there’s a potential to move something, it still needs to be ratified. So, until that happens, there is no move."

"If we go from two clashes with WEC to one, I think that makes a material difference to the drivers that race in both championships," Dodds added. "If we moved Monaco, which clashes with Spa, that would avoid a clash with one of the WEC’s blue riband races."

Is there any hope of a second race in Germany?

During the presentation of the new race calendar, the conversation turned to the future of Formula E in Germany. As some may recall, a potential move from Berlin to the Norisring was under discussion. Talks had already taken place with the Nuremberg Motorsport Club at the start of the year, but these were abandoned due to various issues on which no agreement could be reached. This led to the contract with Berlin being extended.

Nevertheless, German fans can still quietly hope for a second race in the country in the future. Once again, Formula E has signalled just how important the German market is for the World Championship. This is further reinforced by Porsche’s expansion to a second works team within the series and Opel’s entry at the start of the Gen4 era.

Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo commented on the subject during a roundtable discussion: "We said that we were going to have to two races in China. We do. We said that we were going to have to raise it in the US. We have. We said that we were going to increase the number of races that we have in Europe. We have. Do we want to increase the number of races in Europe and potentially in Germany? Why not? Maybe five years ago I would have told you that we will never have two races in the same country. That is changing."

Longo: "We have open discussions"

Longo continued, taking some of the wind out of the sails: "The impact that Opel, together with the two teams of Porsche, we could consider doing more than one race or more than one city in Germany, is that something that is going to happen next year? At the moment we have open discussions with some of them, but I don’t see that happening in season 14."

However, he isn’t completely ruling out the possibility: "Having said that, maybe in six months’ time when we have another interview, I will tell you already that we have another race again. I think Germany is a key market, and Europe in general drives a lot of viewership to our championship, which is exactly what we need and what we want. So why not?"

Back in the spring, Longo had already explained in an exclusive interview with e-Formula.news: "Are there any other discussions taking place in Germany besides Tempelhof? Of course. Does that mean we’ll be racing in Germany three times? Probably not. Twice? Possibly. It is our job to bring Formula E to even more cities around the world."

However, before a final decision is made on the race calendar for the coming season, the last two race weekends of the 2025/26 season are still to come. At the end of July, Formula E will contest a ‘double-header’ in Tokyo, before the grand finale takes place in London three weeks later.