Formula E Confident About Starting 2026-27 Season in Saudi Arabia, but Mexico Could Become Opening Race
Formula E is confident that its 2026-27 season will begin in Saudi Arabia in December, but it could postpone the opening race to Mexico in January if events in the region require it, said the series’ CEO, Jeff Dodds, on Thursday.
The championship, controlled by Liberty Global, is scheduled to begin a new Gen4 era with two races in Jeddah on December 18 and 19, followed by the Mexico City race on January 16.
Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship are also scheduled to finish their seasons in the Middle East in November and December. The World Rally Championship is expected to compete in Saudi Arabia from November 11 to 14, although both championships have stated that they will make decisions in mid-September due to logistical concerns.
Formula 1 canceled testing sessions in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April because of the war with Iran, while Bahrain has now rescheduled its event for Malaysia in October.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said a decision regarding the November and December races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will be made next month, and that the season would end at a European circuit if those events cannot take place.
Regional Conflict Creates Uncertainty
Yemen’s Houthi movement, which is aligned with Iran, has imposed a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, including some attacks on oil tankers, since July. The group claims the actions are in response to what it describes as a Saudi blockade of Yemen, an accusation Riyadh has denied.
The conflict with Iran began in February, when the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran, and Tehran responded with attacks against Israel and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases.
“We speak with the kingdom very regularly and, obviously, we are monitoring what is happening in that part of the world,” Dodds told reporters before the decisive season finale in London on August 15 and 16.
“Of course, the situation changes very quickly, so monitoring it in July or August when you have a race in December may not be the most useful thing. But there comes a point when a decision must be made because we start sending cars and logistics there. Personally, I have a lot of confidence that the race will take place in Jeddah in December.”
Dodds explained that if the situation changes and the organizers decide Saudi Arabia is not the right option, they already have a contingency plan.
“If collectively we decide that we do not believe that is the right answer, we also have a date marked on the calendar as a contingency later in the following year so we could move the race,” he said.
Mexico Could Host the Season Opener
Dodds clarified that Formula E would not need to replace the Saudi Arabian race with another event in December.
“If we were unable to start the season in Saudi Arabia in December, then the season would simply begin in January in Mexico at the next race on the calendar,” he stated.
The annual Dakar Rally, which is held entirely in Saudi Arabia, is also scheduled from January 1 to 15 as the opening round of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge from March 21 to 26.
Source: forbes
