Once again, Formula E is trying to gain a foothold in Brazil: If the FIA World Council approves the preliminary agreement, then future races will be run with Gen3 cars in Sao Paulo
Third attempt for a Formula E race in Brazil. Will it work this time? On the sidelines of the Monaco E-Prix last weekend, a preliminary agreement was signed between electric racing series officials and the mayor of Sao Paulo.
“We are delighted that the Formula E World Championship will compete in Brazil for the first time, subject to approval by the FIA World Council,” said Formula E chief executive Alberto Longo, referring to the next World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting on 30 June.
Sao Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes commented: “Hosting an E-Prix is fully in line with the city’s objectives, namely to attract events that strengthen Sao Paulo’s image worldwide, boost the economy and create jobs thanks to event tourism. It also brings the issue of sustainability into focus. “
Preliminary agreement with Sao Paulo for at least five years
An agreement was signed for five years with an option to extend. This means that Formula E could race in Sao Paulo for the first time in the upcoming 2023 season. Whether this will happen remains to be seen. Previous attempts to bring the electric racing series to Brazil have all failed.
Sao Paulo already appeared in the provisional race calendar for the 2017/18 season, but was then cancelled. Although the city’s officials only asked for a postponement at the time, nothing has been done in this regard until the current preliminary agreement.
Apart from that, Formula E was even supposed to have raced in Brazil in its inaugural season in 2014/15, back then in Rio de Janeiro. But that didn’t happen either.
2023: First Gen3 season with four new races?
If it does indeed work out that races will be held in Sao Paulo in 2023, it would be one of a total of four expected new additions to the Formula E calendar.
Cape Town (South Africa) is also scheduled to race for the first time in 2023, as is Hyderabad (India). And the Formula E debut in Vancouver (Canada), which was actually planned for the current 2022 season, was postponed by a year a few days ago.
The 2023 Formula E season will be the first with the Gen3 car, which was officially presented a few days ago and which has more power, less weight and shorter dimensions compared to the current Gen2 car. The drivers, however, do not seem completely convinced by the Gen3 car at the moment.
