Formula E season opener set for postponement: Gen4 debut likely in Mexico instead of Jeddah

Formula E's season opener in Saudi Arabia appears set to be postponed. Following the cancellation or postponement of numerous international sporting events in the country, Spanish motorsport outlet SoyMotor reports that the two races scheduled for December in Jeddah will not go ahead as planned. Instead, the Gen4 era could begin in Mexico in January. According to information obtained by e-Formula.news, the April weekend currently allocated to Sanya is being considered as a replacement date for Jeddah. Official confirmation is still pending.

Formula E is scheduled to kick off its 13th season and the new Gen4 era with two night races at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on 18 and 19 December. However, amid the tense security situation in Saudi Arabia and the cancellation of numerous sporting events in recent weeks, there are growing doubts over whether the races can take place as planned.

As Spanish motorsport outlet SoyMotor reported on Sunday, citing its own sources, the decision to postpone the Jeddah E-Prix on security grounds has reportedly already been made. According to the report, Formula E would instead begin its season in Mexico City on 16 January 2027.

According to information obtained by e-Formula.news, the weekend of 16 and 17 April 2027 is being discussed as a possible replacement date for the Jeddah E-Prix. However, the Sanya E-Prix in China is currently scheduled for 17 April. If the Jeddah races were moved to that weekend, a new date would have to be found for Sanya. No such calendar changes have been officially confirmed.

Numerous international sporting events in Saudi Arabia cancelled

The uncertainty surrounding Formula E's season opener is hardly surprising. In the past two weeks alone, numerous international sporting events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed.

On Monday evening, the FIA and the organisers announced that the Extreme H World Cup, originally scheduled to take place in Qiddiya City from 29 to 31 October, had been postponed until 2027. Logistical and operational challenges were cited as the reasons for the decision.

The Dakar Rally, originally scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from 1 to 15 January 2027, will also no longer be held in the country as planned. On Sunday, the organisers confirmed that the rally would be relocated to another country. A return to Saudi Arabia is planned for 2028.

Several other international sporting events had already been affected:

• FIFAe Finals 2026: The esports world championship, originally scheduled to take place in Jeddah from 16 to 25 October, was postponed indefinitely.
• Six Kings Slam: The lucrative invitational tennis tournament in Riyadh was moved from 21–24 October to 27–30 December.
• Urban Cycling World Championships: The BMX Freestyle and Trials World Championships, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from 3 to 7 November, were cancelled.
• PIF Saudi International: The Asian Tour golf tournament, scheduled for 18–21 November, was postponed indefinitely.
• Rally Saudi Arabia: On 19 October, the event was also cancelled as a round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).

As early as 17 September, the FIA and the WRC Promoter had officially confirmed that Rally Saudi Arabia would not take place as a round of the World Rally Championship in November. At the time, regional developments affecting logistical preparations were cited as the reason. The rally was subsequently expected to go ahead as a round of the Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), before that event was also cancelled.

The developments come amid an increasingly tense security situation in Saudi Arabia since September. Repeated attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh have left numerous people dead and injured. One particularly severe attack on 10 October killed 13 people and injured more than 300. The attacks also caused major disruption to international air traffic. In light of these developments, several international sporting organisations reviewed their event plans.

However, the official explanations for the cancellations and postponements vary. While some organisers explicitly refer to developments in the region, others primarily cite organisational and logistical difficulties.

Formula E had already announced contingency plan for season opener

Formula E had already prepared for a possible postponement back in August. During a media briefing attended by e-Formula.news, CEO Jeff Dodds explained that the championship was closely monitoring the security situation and had identified an alternative date later in the season should the races need to be postponed. Formula E would not seek a replacement venue at short notice for December.

As recently as early October, Dodds told e-Formula.news in Rome that the championship was still firmly planning to start the season in Saudi Arabia. A few weeks earlier, he had personally travelled to Jeddah to assess the situation on the ground. He said that everything had felt perfectly normal during his visit.

"It will be a data-led decision for us," Dodds stressed. "It's not Jeff making a decision or the board making a decision." Formula E would base its decision primarily on official travel advice and security guidance, including that issued by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). According to Dodds, a final decision would have to be made no later than after the pre-season tests in November, as the cars would then need to be shipped to Saudi Arabia. However, he did not rule out an earlier decision.

It remains unclear when Formula E will officially announce its decision regarding the season opener. It is also uncertain whether the two races in Saudi Arabia can be rescheduled for later in the season and what impact a possible postponement would have on the remainder of the calendar.