Exclusive: Formula E plans Barcelona E-Prix to expand the race calendar for Season 13 to 22 races!

The Formula E race calendar for Season 13 – the first to feature the new Gen4 car – comprises 21 races across 13 cities, making it the most extensive in the history of the electric racing series to date. But that might not be the end of it: as e-Formula.news has learnt, the racing series is planning another race in the Spanish metropolis of Barcelona!

Following the huge success of last year’s Madrid E-Prix, Formula E is thus continuing its expansion on the Iberian Peninsula: as the race in the Spanish capital is already planned as a double-header for 2027 , a potential Barcelona E-Prix would therefore be the third Formula E race in Spain. Currently, the only other season 13 schedule featuring this many races is in China, where, alongside the Sanya E-Prix, two races are once again set to take place in Shanghai.

Formula E as a replacement for Formula 1?

Given such short notice – with less than a year to go – only one permanent circuit would be a viable venue: the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmelo, around 25 km north-east of the city centre. Formula E would be a welcome source of revenue for the circuit, as Formula 1 will be alternating between the circuits in Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps from next year onwards, meaning the next race at the circuit is not scheduled until 2028.

According to unconfirmed reports, the plans are said to be for a race in April. This is surprising when looking at the race calendar presented just a month ago: although there is only one race listed for April 2027, this is scheduled to take place on 17 April in Sanya. Prior to that, the Sao Paulo E-Prix takes place on 13 March, before Formula E heads into the Easter break.

An additional race weekend causes logistical problems

Holding the race on the weekend before or after the Sanya E-Prix would be extremely difficult from a logistical point of view: after all, there are more than 10,000 km as the crow flies between Hainan Island and Catalonia. This would therefore leave only the weekend after Easter, presumably 3 April.

There are no suitable dates available in the tightly packed European leg of the racing calendar: the Monaco E-Prix, for instance, is scheduled for the weekend immediately following the Berlin E-Prix. Just two weeks later, the series races at Brands Hatch, whilst three weeks later the Formula E debut at Zandvoort is due to take place. However, the two weeks prior to the race in the Netherlands are already taken up by the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, whilst just one week after Zandvoort the series heads back to Madrid.

Staying in Spain straight afterwards is not an option for Formula E either: The Shanghai E-Prix is already scheduled for two weeks later. Without further race postponements, it would therefore be virtually impossible to fit an additional race weekend in Europe into the calendar.

In any case, an additional race in Barcelona would therefore pose a major challenge. It is conceivable that some teams might also oppose the idea, which would likely spell the end of the plan for Season 13. Final confirmation would have to come from the FIA World Motor Sport Council. According to current plans, this body is not due to meet again until October.