2020–21 Formula E World Championship
The 2020–21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is due to be the seventh season of the FIA Formula E championship, a motor racing championship for electrically powered vehicles recognised by motorsport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the highest class of competition for electric open-wheel racing cars.
With the 2020–21 season, the championship will officially become a FIA World Championship, joining Formula One, the World Endurance Championship, the World Rally Championship, and the World Rallycross Championship.
The facelift of the Spark Gen2 car called the Gen2 EVO, was originally scheduled to debut in this season, but was later delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]
Teams and drivers
| Team | Powertrain | No. | Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
 Jaguar Racing[2][3]
|
Jaguar I-Type 5[3] | 2 | Sam Bird[4]
|
| 20 |  Mitch Evans[4]
| ||
 NIO 333 FE Team[5]
|
TBA | 3 | Oliver Turvey[6]
|
| TBA |  TBA
| ||
| Envision Virgin Racing
|
Audi | 4 |  Robin Frijns[7]
|
| TBA | Nick Cassidy[7]
| ||
 Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team[8]
|
Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow 02[9] | 5 |  Stoffel Vandoorne[9]
|
| 17 | Nyck de Vries[9]
| ||
| Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler[8]
|
Audi | 11 |  Lucas di Grassi[10]
|
| TBA | René Rast[10]
| ||
 Nissan e.dams
|
Nissan IM02[11] | 22 | Oliver Rowland[12]
|
| 23 |  Sébastien Buemi[12]
| ||
| DS Techeetah
|
DS | 25 | Jean-Éric Vergne[13]
|
| TBA | TBA
| ||
 BMW i Andretti Motorsport
|
BMW i | 28 | Maximilian Günther[14]
|
| TBA | TBA
| ||
| TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team[15]
|
Porsche | 36 | André Lotterer[16]
|
| 94 | Pascal Wehrlein[16]
| ||
 ROKiT Venturi Racing[17]
|
Mercedes-Benz EQ | 48 | Edoardo Mortara[18]
|
| TBA | Norman Nato[18]
| ||
 Mahindra Racing
|
Mahindra | TBA | Alexander Sims[19]
|
| TBA | TBA
| ||
| Dragon/Penske Autosport[8]
|
Penske | TBA | TBA
|
| TBA | TBA
|
Driver changes
- Sam Bird and Virgin chose to part ways at the end of season six. He moved to Jaguar, replacing James Calado.[4]
- Nick Cassidy joined Virgin to replace Sam Bird, after driving for them in the 2020 Rookie Test in Marrakesh.[7]
- Felipe Massa left Venturi after two seasons with the team.[20]
- Pascal Wehrlein joined TAG Heuer Porsche, replacing Neel Jani.[16]
- Alexander Sims left BMW i Andretti Motorsport to join Mahindra Racing, replacing Jerome d'Ambrosio, who left after 2 years with the team.[19]
- Norman Nato joined ROKiT Venturi Racing, replacing Felipe Massa.[18]
Calendar
A provisional calendar has been announced for the 2020–21 season.[21] In October 2020, the provisional calendar was altered with the races in Mexico City and Sanya postponed from their original dates in February and March respectively. With these changes another race was also added in Santiago in addition to the race that was already due to be held there.[22] No reason was given for the changes.[23]
| Round | ePrix | Country | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago ePrix |  Chile
|
Parque O'Higgins Circuit | 16 January 2021 |
| 2 | 17 January 2021 | |||
| 3 | Diriyah ePrix |  Saudi Arabia
|
Riyadh Street Circuit | 26 February 2021 |
| 4 | 27 February 2021 | |||
| 5 | Rome ePrix |  Italy
|
Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR† | 10 April 2021 |
| 6 | Paris ePrix | France
|
Paris Street Circuit | 24 April 2021 |
| 7 | Monaco ePrix | Monaco
|
Circuit de Monaco† | 8 May 2021 |
| 8 | Seoul ePrix |  South Korea
|
Seoul Street Circuit† | 23 May 2021 |
| 9 | Berlin ePrix | Germany
|
Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit | 19 June 2021 |
| 10 | New York City ePrix |  United States
|
Brooklyn Street Circuit | 10 July 2021 |
| 11 | London ePrix | United Kingdom
|
ExCeL London[N 1] | 24 July 2021 |
| 12 | 25 July 2021 | |||
| TBA | Sanya ePrix | China
|
Haitang Bay Circuit | TBA |
| TBA | Mexico City ePrix |  Mexico
|
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | TBA |
† – Subject to circuit homologation
Calendar changes
- The Paris, Rome and Sanya ePrix are due to return to the calendar, as their 2020 races were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Diriyah ePrix has been moved from November to February.
- The Monaco ePrix is due to return to the calendar, as it is held every 2 years.[25]
- The Marrakesh ePrix is set to be discontinued.
- The Seoul ePrix is due to make its debut on the calendar. The race had been included on the 2019–20 calendar, but was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Santiago ePrix will become the first round of the season as a double-header, but it will be held behind closed doors.[22]
- The Berlin ePrix will become a single race event once more after holding the final 6 races of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The London ePrix is due to return to the calendar after a 5-year absence. It will be held around the ExCeL arena in London. It was originally included on the 2019–20 calendar, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The New York City ePrix will become a single race event for the first time. It was meant to become a single race event in 2020, but the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regulation changes
Technical regulations
- Manufacturers will now only be able to modify powertrain components once over the next two seasons as part of an extended homologation period, with teams having the option to either introduce a new powertrain for the 2020–21 season for a two-year runout or continue with their current systems for next season before homologating a new set-up for a single season the year after.[1]
Footnotes
- ^ The circuit is designed as an indoor-outdoor venue, combining the ExCeL facilities and the surrounding public roads at Royal Docks.[24]
References
- ^ a b "FE delays Gen2 Evo car as part of new cost saving measures". www.autosport.com.
- ^ Bluhm, Tobias. "Jaguar Racing trennt sich von Panasonic". e-Formel.de. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ a b "JAGUAR RACING RENEW MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH GKN AUTOMOTIVE". Jaguar Racing. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Sam Bird to join Panasonic Jaguar Racing for season seven following mutual decision to part ways with Envision Virgin Racing". 14 July 2020.
- ^ Smith, Sam (29 September 2020). "MAJOR TECHNICAL RESTRUCTURING AT NIO333 FOR 2021". The Race. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ "NIO 333 and Oliver Turvey eye progress with new powertrain after 'impressive' test". Formula E. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Envision Virgin Racing signs Nick Cassidy for season seven". 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- ^ a b c "Teams lining up for the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship". Formula E. FIA. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ a b c Smith, Sam (29 October 2020). "Mercedes Launches its 2021 Formula E Package". the-race.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Lucas di Grassi and René Rast compete for Audi in the FIA Formula E World Championship". www.audi-mediacenter.com. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ Smith, Sam (5 October 2020). "Nissan to start Formula E season with old powertrain". The Race. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Nissan e.dams confirms Sebastien Buemi and Oliver Rowland for 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship". FIA Formula E. FIA. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ Kalinauckas, Alex (14 December 2018). "Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne's Techeetah contract extended". Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "BMW i Andretti Motorsport retains Max Guenther for season seven, whilst Alex Sims moves on to new Formula E challenge". FIA Formula E. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "TAG Heuer teams up with Porsche as Title and Timing Partner". FIA Formula E. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- ^ a b c "Pascal Wehrlein becomes regular driver for TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team". newsroom porsche. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ "INTRODUCING… ROKiT VENTURI RACING". Venturi. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ a b c "Norman Nato joins Edo Mortara at ROKiT Venturi Racing for Season 7". Formula E. FIA. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Sims joins Mahindra from BMW for 2020/21 Formula E season". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "Felipe Massa leaves ROKiT Venturi Racing". ROKiT Venturi Racing. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ "FIA publishes provisional 2020/21 Formula E calendar". FIA Formula E. 19 June 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Statement: 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar update". Formula E. FIA. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Smith, Sam. "Saniago Double-Header Among New Formula E Calendar Changes". The Race. The Race. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Smith, Topher (5 March 2019). "London Calling: British capital returns to calendar". Downforce Radio.
- ^ "Monaco sets out plan for 2021 F1, Formula E races". www.motorsport.com.