» Formula E: Bern replaces Zürich

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