Formula E selects Austin through 2031 after evaluating Laguna Seca, Phoenix & more

Documents obtained by e-Formula.news show that Formula E selected Austin as a host city from 2027 through 2031. Before making that decision, the championship evaluated far more alternatives than previously known, including Laguna Seca, Sonoma, Downtown Phoenix and Nashville, as well as locations in Germany, Thailand, South Africa, Kenya and Australia. In Germany, the Norisring appears to have been the most likely candidate.

Austin is set to become a fixture on the Formula E calendar for five years. That is confirmed in a letter from the championship to officials in Travis County seen by e-Formula.news. The first race weekend is scheduled for February 5 and 6, 2027, while the dates for the following four years are to be agreed between the parties.

Documents from the local authorities also confirm the long-term plans. Travis County secured the winning bid in July 2026 for Formula E to race at the circuit near Austin. In early September, the Travis County Commissioners Court, the county's political decision-making body, also approved participation in the Texas Event Trust Fund and the appointment of local organising committee CELOC for the events from 2027 through 2031.

The contractual details had not yet been fully completed at that point. Formula E's letter states that an "Event Support Contract" covering local and state support for the event had not yet been finalised. The selection of Austin and the planned five-year period, however, had already been confirmed.

According to the letter, the selection process considered factors including technical feasibility, sporting viability, local climate conditions, commercial leverage and the long-term strategic value of a location. It also reveals that significantly more alternatives were assessed than previously known.

Laguna Seca, Sonoma, Phoenix & Nashville were also considered

The Formula E letter provides further insight into that selection process. The championship says it visited several US cities and venues, naming Laguna Seca, Sonoma, Downtown Phoenix, Virginia Beach, Nashville and Austin. International locations in Thailand, Germany, South Africa, Kenya and Australia were also assessed.

EXCLUSIVE: A @FIAFormulaE letter obtained by https://t.co/IDxInKXlKV confirms Austin was selected as a host city for 2027-2031. It also reveals that Laguna Seca, Sonoma, Phoenix, Virginia Beach, Nashville & several international locations were evaluated. #AustinEPrix #FormulaE pic.twitter.com/O5XhXgQrST

— Tobias Wirtz (@tobiw_apex) September 18, 2026

At Laguna Seca and Sonoma, the possible circuits are obvious: the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Sonoma Raceway are both permanent road courses. For Phoenix, however, the letter specifically names Downtown Phoenix, pointing to plans for a temporary street circuit in the city centre.

No specific circuit is mentioned for Virginia Beach either. There is no obvious permanent road course in the city or its immediate surroundings that would be suitable for Formula E, making a temporary street circuit the more likely option.

In the Nashville region, the Nashville Superspeedway would have been one possible permanent alternative. The facility is located in Lebanon outside the city and features a 2.25-kilometre road course alongside its oval. The documents do not reveal whether Formula E actually assessed that circuit.

Germany: Strong indications point to the Norisring

For the international candidates, Formula E only identifies the countries, not the individual cities or circuits. In Germany, however, there are strong indications that the location in question was the Norisring in Nuremberg.

e-Formula.news reported in February that Formula E had been in talks with officials in Nuremberg about a possible race on the historic street circuit. An E-Prix there had already been discussed for 2027, while Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds described the Norisring as a "fantastic" street circuit.

The Formula E letter also does not identify specific locations in Thailand, South Africa, Kenya or Australia. In Thailand, both a permanent venue such as the Chang International Circuit in Buriram and a street circuit would be conceivable. Chiang Mai had already been discussed as a possible Formula E host city in the past. The documents do not reveal which Thai location was assessed this time.

In South Africa, the 4.522-kilometre Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit between Johannesburg and Pretoria would be the most prominent permanent option. A return to a street circuit in Cape Town would also be conceivable. Again, the documents do not state which location Formula E visited.

Australia offers several permanent possibilities, including Sydney Motorsport Park and The Bend Motorsport Park. Kenya is less straightforward: there is no comparable permanent circuit in the country on the FIA's current list of homologated circuits. If Formula E assessed a Kenyan E-Prix, a temporary street circuit is therefore more likely to have been the focus.

In the end, Austin was selected. While the specific Event Support Contract was still being worked on when the documents were prepared, Formula E's plans to race there from 2027 through 2031 had already been established.

The previously unknown alternatives also provide the clearest indication yet of which markets Formula E has already explored as part of its future calendar planning.