Formula E wants to continue racing at Tempelhof: “We will definitely not leave Berlin before the contract expires”

Will Formula E continue to race at the former airport in Berlin-Tempelhof? A media report about talks with the organizers of the Norisring race in Nuremberg raised doubts as to whether the all-electric racing series is planning to continue holding a race in the German capital in the Gen4 era. Formula E co-founder and Chief Championship Officer Alberto Longo has now set out his view of the situation.

Berlin plays a very special role for Formula E: the electric racing series has held 24 races in the formerly divided city, more than in any other city. Twenty-three of those races alone took place on the apron of the airport, which closed on October 30, 2008. This is largely due to the fact that Formula E has visited Berlin in each of its twelve seasons to date and also staged six races in nine days at the venue during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to complete the 2020 season.

“Looking forward to being here for another 20 or 30 years”

"We love this city," Longo says in an exclusive interview with e-Formula.news. "Basically, this is the place in the world where we have raced the most - and it will probably stay that way for many, many years. That is why we are looking forward to being here for another 20 or 30 years. This is definitely the place where we want to be."

In 2024, Formula E and the City of Berlin announced a contract extension: under the current agreement, the electric racing series is set to remain in the German capital until at least 2027, with an option to extend the deal by a further three years.

"We have signed a long-term contract with Tempelhof and, of course, we expect to fulfil it in full," Longo continues. "I do not know what their plans are there (in Berlin), but our plan is very clear: to stay here."

"We stand by the contract we signed. That is why we will definitely not leave Berlin before this contract expires," he adds. "That does not mean we are not listening to proposals that other cities in Germany may be making to us. What it could eventually mean is that we hold more than one race in Germany - that is a different story. But in fairness, it has to be said: we will definitely remain in Berlin because we have a long-term contract."

"Currently holding 83 concrete talks worldwide"

For Longo, however, it is important to also have a plan B should Berlin decide against Formula E one day. He also raises the possibility of holding more than one E-Prix in Germany in the future, not least because the German market is considered very important for the manufacturers involved. In addition, Opel will join the electric racing series next season as another German brand.

"As a company, we are known for not saying no to anything," Longo explains. "We are currently holding 83 concrete talks with different cities around the world. Are there further talks in Germany besides Tempelhof? Of course. Does that mean we will race three times in Germany? Probably not. Twice? Possibly. It is our job to bring Formula E to even more cities around the world."