Rome, Cape Town & Jakarta out, Shanghai in! Formula E completes race calendar for 2024 season

Formula E has announced its full race calendar for the 2024 season. FIA's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) decided at its quarterly meeting on Wednesday to stage 16 races again next year. While Shanghai and Hyderabad have been added compared to the first version of the calendar, there will be no race in Cape Town in 2024. Also, Rome and Jakarta surprisingly find no more mention.

The Chinese metropolis of Shanghai is already the fourth venue for Formula E in China. Previously, the electric racing series had raced in Beijing (2014 and 2015), Hong Kong (2016 to 2019) and Sanya (2019). For the planned double-header at the end of May 2024, Formula E will use part of the Grand Prix circuit where Formula 1 has competed for many years (with the exception of the Covid restrictions). It is likely that the longest straight of the Shanghai International Circuit will be left out.

The omission of the Rome E-Prix comes as a surprise. Formula E is currently looking for an alternative venue in Italy for the double race in April. Since 2018, Formula E has been staged at the Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR in the heart of the Italian capital, which is extremely popular with drivers and fans alike.

"This follows a review by experts at Formula E and the FIA into the Season 9 races in Rome, where the new faster, more powerful Gen3 car reached the limits of the narrow, sharp-turning circuit in Rome's business district," a press statement says. "Formula E is exploring alternative venues, including permanent circuits, to maintain an event in the key Italian market." Our colleagues from The Race write the Misano or Imola circuits might have a chance.

Election period wipes out Jakarta E-Prix

As expected, the also very popular circuit in Cape Town has to give way after only one race event because of financial difficulties with the local promoter. More surprising, however, is the cancellation of the Jakarta E-Prix

"The event planned for Jakarta on Saturday, 8 June will not go ahead following the announcement of a campaigning period in the Indonesian presidential elections during most of June," Formula E explained. "This would impact the logistics of delivering a race on the streets of the capital city at the same time. Formula E and the authorities in Jakarta are exploring the feasibility of racing in the city on an alternative date."

There is good news from India though: After the Hyderabad E-Prix was on the back burner for a long time, it will now take place for the second time. The date of 10 February 2024 has been set.

Besides the aforementioned adjustments, the calendar corresponds to the draft already published in June: After the season opener in Mexico City, two races will be hosted in Diriyah, followed by Hyderabad and Sao Paulo. After a detour to Tokyo for the Japanese race debut, the European part of the season begins with races in Italy, Monaco and Berlin. Shanghai, Portland and London conclude the 2024 season.

"Without doubt our Season 10 calendar is the most compelling yet for drivers, teams, fans and viewers around the world," finds Alberto Longo, co-founder and Chief Championship Officer of Formula E. "We are taking Formula E to Shanghai for the first time and are honoured to return to India thanks to the support of the Telangana Government and Minister K. T. Rama Rao."

"The combination of street circuits, which is in Formula E's DNA, and established race tracks will allow drivers to push the capabilities of the Gen3 car harder and further after a first season that beat all expectations with triple-digit overtakes in most races and the world championship titles decided on the final weekend," Longo says.

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds adds: "Formula E will lead global motorsport next season as the only world championship to race in the three biggest markets of China, India and the USA. Together with our debut on the streets of Tokyo and races in other major global markets like Brazil, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the UK, we have built a calendar that has the potential to engage billions of people in the exciting, entertaining, electric future of motorsport."

Additional reporting by Tobias Wirtz

Overview: Formula E race calendar 2024