Formula E: Mexico to replace Saudi Arabia as Formula E season opener

Mexico City will kickoff the new Gen3 era of Formula E next January, replacing the traditional kick-off venue of Diriyah in Saudi Arabia.

‘The Race’ reports that the current schedule is likely to see the first race of the new rules held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which has hosted an E-Prix for all but two of the eight Formula E seasons completed so far.

Formula E’s chief championship officer and co-founder Alberto Longo told The Race in Berlin last weekend that, as it stands, the “current proposal for the FIA doesn’t include Saudi as the first race of the season”.

Longo said that this had “a huge impact on the logistics of the championship and on the start of the championship as well”.

“So originally, it was planned to be the first race, as we needed to delay everything because of the test and the Gen3 etc, then, we were forced to move things around.

“That puzzle meant Saudi couldn’t be there for the first race, so we did what we could with the calendar.

“Obviously the interests of the different cities around the world and when can they actually host Formula E events and also taking into consideration many other things like weather or and all the challenges that we always face forming the calendar meant that unfortunately, Saudi is not going to be the first race.”