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14 races in 12 of the world’s most progressive cities over four continents. Welcome to the closest, most intense race series on the planet. Get set for a new chapter of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. See the 2019/20 season calendar.
From Seoul to London and the addition of Porsche and Mercedes as fully-fledged manufacturer teams - the 2019/20 season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship promises more wheel-to-wheel combat, new rules and rivalries, more inner city street racing and the most comprehensive calendar to date. Welcome to the sixth season of Formula E.
Revealed for the first time, the new season calendar - comprising of 14 races in 12 cities and covering four continents - was ratified following the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting in Paris today.
The busiest season yet of electric racing will get underway with a double-header in Ad Diriyah in November, stopping off in the iconic city of Seoul for the first time in May before returning to the UK capital for the double-header season finale, taking place on a unique indoor/outdoor track at ExCeL London in July. See the full season calendar below.
New rivalries
But it's not just about progressive cities and exotic street races. The sixth season of Formula E sees motorsport masters Porsche and Mercedes-Benz enter the Championship as full manufacturer teams, taking on fellow German rivals BMW and Audi for the first time in history. With the welcome additions, the grid expands to a total of 24 cars and drivers and more global manufacturers than any other racing category.
“Next season promises to be the most exciting and eagerly-anticipated in the short history of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, said Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Deputy CEO of Formula E.
After kicking off the action in Ad Diriyah in November, the Championship heads to Santiago in Chile, back to the Mexico City and firm favourite Hong Kong before returning to Rome for the first round of the voestalpine European races. From there, it's back to the charming streets of Paris before a stop over in Seoul and then back to Berlin to round off Europe.
From there, it's back to the Big Apple for the penultimate city ahead of the spectacular season finale on the streets of London on July 25 & 26.
"More races and new faces, with the incredible new additions of Seoul and London, as well as the inclusion of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Looking at the list of cities and capitals backing Formula E and the electric movement, it’s the longest and most comprehensive calendar to date," added Longo.
New rules
In addition to the new 2019/20 calendar, Formula E and the FIA - motorsport's governing body- have made tweaks to the rules and regulations. New for the 2019/20 season, drivers will have an additional 10kW of power available when using ATTACK MODE, rising from 225kW to 235kW.
In contrast to the current season, drivers won’t be able to activate ATTACK MODE under Full Course Yellow (FCY), or when the safety car is deployed - meaning the drivers will have to go off the racing line to activate ATTACK MODE under normal race conditions and retain the risk of losing positions.
Further still, to increase the emphasis on energy management, during safety car periods and under FCY, a fixed quantity of energy - equal to 1kWh per minute for the duration of the caution period - will be subtracted from the total energy remaining in each car.
This means that drivers will no longer be able to save energy by driving at lower speeds under FCY or behind the safety car, leading to more varied strategies and more close, wheel-to-wheel racing from start to finish. Also introduced for next season, the countdown clock will stop if the race is temporarily suspended - remaining at the discretion of the FIA Race Director - with the aim to complete the full amount of time.
The future of Gen2
More points will also be on offer in the 2019/20 season, with an additional point handed out to the fastest driver in the qualifying group stages. The driver who secures Julius Baer pole position still picks up three points - as well as one point being awarded to the driver who sets the fastest lap finishing in the top-ten of the final classification.
The FIA has also released more details on the extended cycle of the Gen2 car, through to the end of season eight. The extension of an additional season was agreed together with manufacturers, taking into account stability of the rules and cost control.
But further updates to car performance and regulation changes can be made during this cycle, including an increase of power, improvements to the battery and an evolution of the design and bodywork.
"Alongside the tweaks made to the sporting regulations, the racing has the potential to be even more intense and unpredictable than ever," said Longo.
"We have three rounds remaining this season and a title fight that’s wide open, but I already can’t wait to get started again in Ad Diriyah in November.”