Formula E modifies Brands Hatch for Gen4: 3 changes planned to Grand Prix layout

Formula E will not race on the unchanged Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit when the championship makes its debut at the venue in May 2027. According to a media report, three modifications are planned to create additional regeneration zones and reduce the speed of the Gen4 cars in potentially critical sections. Pascal Wehrlein and Oliver Rowland are also understood to be involved in the planning.

When the race was originally announced, circuit designer Driven International had already confirmed that minor modifications to the Brands Hatch Grand Prix layout were planned. These are set to be used only in the first year of the multi-year agreement and still require FIA homologation.

With Gen4, the performance and speed of Formula E cars will increase significantly. At the same time, energy recovery under braking remains a central part of the racing format. On traditional permanent circuits such as Brands Hatch, additional heavy braking zones therefore need to be created, particularly for the efficiency race, without fundamentally changing the character of the track. Safety also plays an important role ahead of fast sections such as Hawthorns.

New braking zones for Gen4: What will change at Brands Hatch

FE Notebook now reports that the first modification is planned at Surtees. Instead of taking the existing fast left-hander, the cars would enter a much tighter left-right section that also uses part of the link road connecting to the circuit's Indy configuration.

A left-right-left chicane is planned on the following straight at Pilgrims Drop. This is not intended solely to provide another regeneration opportunity, with the section also designed to reduce speeds before the fast right-hander at Hawthorns.

A further bus-stop chicane is planned at Clearways, featuring a left-right section followed by a right-left sequence to slow the cars again before Brabham Straight.

Wehrlein and Rowland are understood to be involved in the modifications as driver advisers. An official presentation of the final circuit configuration could potentially take place when ticket sales for the British E-Prix begin - Formula E recently followed a similar approach in Mexico City.