Thanks to Formula E: How London became a motorsport city again after 50 years

Motorsport in the centre of the UK's most glamorous metropolis? It's an image that Formula E fans have become accustomed to, but motorsport in London was absent for almost 50 years before the electric racing series. An urban race only existed in the dreams of ambitious motorsport fans. One of them was Formula E founder Alejandro Agag.

A dream comes true - from jogging track to E-Prix circuit

In 1974, the Newcastle racetrack closed its doors - the end of conventional motorsport in the centre of London. Formula E founder Agag himself lived in the British capital. Not least because of this, the Spaniard had the return of London at the top of his wish list of Formula E venues. The only question was: where?

From the former track in Newcastle to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - a total of 14 feasibility studies were carried out by Formula E in London. The final choice was Battersea Park, a park directly on the River Thames. So far, the park has mainly attracted joggers, including Agag: "I always thought it would be the perfect track if the cars could cope with the camber."

Battersea races still unforgotten today

The first two season finales were held at Battersea Park. Both were as exciting as they could be. In the first year, Nelson Piquet Jr. secured the title by just one point ahead of Sebastien Buemi thanks to an energy-efficient masterstroke. In the second year, the two title contenders Lucas di Grassi and Buemi collided in the first corner, level on points in the championship. With no chance of finishing in the top 10, a battle for the fastest lap ensued, which the Swiss won.

Battersea Park, normally a public recreational area for locals, remained closed during the race weekend. There were also many restrictions in the weeks surrounding the event due to set-up and dismantling. Residents, particularly the Battersea Park Action Group, were so displeased that it was decided Formula E needed to find a new venue after just two years.

ExCeL - a unique venue

It took five long years for Formula E to find a new venue, design a race track and finally realise it. The London E-Prix has been on the race calendar in and around the ExCeL exhibition centre since 2021. The unique concept of using both the indoor and outdoor areas for the race track presented those responsible with a major challenge, but they mastered it.

The staging of Formula E in London is spectacular. Formula E cars overcome impressive differences in height, fly past the ExCeL at full power before diving back into its interior. The pit lane in the interior and the starting procedure celebrated with spotlights put the cherry on the cake. Although the track doesn't shine with the most overtaking, there is no shortage of memorable moments.

We remember the Audi controversy in 2021: Lucas di Grassi cleverly cheated his way into the lead during a safety car. The shortcut through the pit lane was controversially penalised with a disqualification. Last year, we experienced real chaos races with red flags and internal team drama at Envision. The reigning world champion Jake Dennis was able to put the crown on his head for the first time as a Brit in London.

London ExCeL has now become a favourite among fans and can also look forward to the 2024 season finale. The E-Prix will take place this weekend on 20 and 21 July.