Switzerland will remain on the FIA Formula E Championship calendar after series organisers were able to successfully negotiate a replacement event at Bern following Zürich city officials’ decision to cancel next year’s event.
The all-electric series raced in Zürich during the 2017-18 season – bringing an end to a 64-year ban on car racing in the country – but with the country’s largest city hosting a number of major events that clashed with next year’s scheduled date for the ePrix, city officials asked for the event to be put on hiatus.
Following successful negotiations with Bern officials, the Swiss capital city will host the Formula E field on June 22, 2019, with the event confirmed by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Friday.
“The calendar for season five of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship has taken shape – the most races and the best places,” said series CEO Alejandro Agag. “It’s a milestone season for Formula E with the introduction of the new car and we’ve put together a calendar to match our ambitions as a truly global sport.
“It’s fantastic news to return to Switzerland this coming season on the streets of Bern for the Julius Baer Swiss ePrix. We collectively made history last season in Zürich – successfully hosting a professional circuit race for the first time in the country in over six decades.
“Now we’ll be making history once again by bringing the ABB FIA Formula E Championship to the Swiss capital of Bern – I’d like to extend my thanks to Mayor von Graffenried and his team. I’m already counting down the days to the start of the season.”
The Bern ePrix’s circuit location and design remain under wraps for the moment and – along with first-time events in Riyadh, Santiago and Sanya – will require official homologation from the FIA.
2018-19 FIA Formula E Championship Calendar | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date | Event | Location | |
15 Dec 2018 | ![]() |
Riyadh ePrix | Ad Diriyah Street Circuit, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
12 Jan 2019 | ![]() |
Marrakesh ePrix | Circuit Moulay El Hassan, Marrakech, Morocco |
26 Jan 2019 | ![]() |
Santiago ePrix | Parque O’Higgins Circuit, Santiago, Chile |
16 Feb 2019 | ![]() |
Mexico City ePrix | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico |
10 Mar 2019 | ![]() |
Hong Kong ePrix | Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit, Hong Kong |
23 Mar 2019 | ![]() |
Sanya ePrix | Sanya Street Circuit, Sanya, China |
13 Apr 2019 | ![]() |
Rome ePrix | Circuto Cittadino dell’EUR, Rome, Italy |
27 Apr 2019 | ![]() |
Paris ePrix | Les Invalides street circuit, Paris, France |
11 May 2019 | ![]() |
Monaco ePrix | Circuit de Monaco, Monte-Carlo, Monaco |
25 May 2019 | ![]() |
Berlin ePrix | Tempelhof Airport Circuit, Berlin, Germany |
09 June 2019 | ![]() |
Bern ePrix | TBA, Bern, Switzerland |
13-14 July 2019 | ![]() |
New York ePrix* | Brooklyn Street Circuit, New York City, United States |
* Denotes double-header event
Images via Telegraph
Geoff Burke
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