As a World Championship, Formula E has raced at some incredible destinations. From Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia, there is no shortage of impressive backdrops to accompany our brilliant racing. With the Season 11 calendar confirmed, and destinations like Miami and Tokyo returning, here are some of the most recognisable places Formula E has been over the first 10 seasons.
Monaco
Often referred to as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of racing, Monaco has been a staple of the Formula E calendar since Season 1. Although it was hosted on a circuit that was half the distance of the traditional track for several years, the championship was granted access to the full Grand Prix layout from Season 7 and we haven’t looked back.
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This season we witnessed an outstanding 197 overtakes across the race, with our light, fast and smaller cars proving that you can make moves around Monaco. With so much motorsport history around every twist and turn that Monte Carlo provides, it’s easy to see how this circuit makes the list.
Tokyo
When you think of street racing, you think of Tokyo. Therefore, there was no better place for Formula E to make its Japanese debut than in the capital. The special circuit was loved by drivers for being the quintessential Formula E track, with bumps, tight turns, elevation change and even a bump which launched them four-wheels into the air!
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The magical backdrop even attracted huge Japanese motorsport stars including Visa Cash App RB F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda, and Fast & Furious actor Sung Kang.
"I think it's the perfect combination of a postmodern city like Tokyo, teaming up with Formula E, a postmodern motorsport," said Kang. "What better backdrop than Tokyo for Formula E to be at, where everything is about the future."
Cape Town
Formula E’s first visit to South Africa occurred in Season 9, when the all-electric championship visited Cape Town for an unforgettable weekend of racing. Not only is Cape Town one of the most beautiful and scenic backdrops we’ve seen, the street circuit also provided us with some brilliant on-track action. Fans were treated to a true spectacle, which climaxed on the last lap when TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa made an outrageous overtake to seal the victory.
London
Although it’s changed venues twice, London holds a special place in the heart of Formula E. It has acted as the title decider in Seasons 1 and 2 when we raced around the picturesque Battersea Park, crowning Nelson Piquet Jr as our inaugural champion followed by Sebastien Buemi the next year.
London returned to the calendar for Season 7, but raced around the ExCel Arena. It was the penultimate round in 2021 and 2022, before becoming the season finale for Seasons 9 and 10. The unique ExCel venue is in central London, and is the only circuit on the calendar that sees our GEN3 cars drive both indoors and outdoors!
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Hong Kong
Of the most spectacular backgrounds to feature in a Formula E race is Hong Kong. The special administrative region of the People's Republic of China was home to the championship from Season 3, and saw the grid fight it out along the narrow harbourfront streets with the huge city skyline behind. It also hosted the 50th Formula E race in 2019, which would be the last time we visited Hong Kong, for now.
New York City
From one iconic skyline to another, Formula E made history when they raced in Brooklyn, New York from Season 3. The magical location provided us with years of brilliant racing, and was a favourite track among drivers and fans alike. Several incredible skyscrapers were visible from the circuit, including the One World Trade Center, 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building, as well as the Statue of Liberty.
Antonio Felix da Costa even continued his tradition of jumping into the nearest pool of water after winning, making a splash in the Hudson River after his victory in 2022. Over their visits to the Big Apple, Formula E helped clean up the river by removing rubbish and plastic waste in the water among other incentives.
Zurich
Formula E made history in Switzerland, as it brought back racing to the country for the first time in over 60 years. The inaugural Zurich E-Prix took place in 2018, and had an attendance of over 150,000 fans to witness the memorable moment. The track itself was very unique, with a cobbled pit lane, wooden paddock buildings and tram lines across the circuit, and saw Lucas di Grassi and Audi Team Principal Allan McNish jump in the lake after their victory.
Rome
The Italian capital was an adored home for the championship, as the grid raced in the popular EUR district. The residential and business area was the location for all rounds in Rome from when Formula E made its debut there in 2018. Racing in the Eternal City was very popular, and delivered some of the championship’s best racing with memorable moments including Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans winning the race on three consecutive occasions.
Paris
The Eiffel Tower was looking over Formula E as it visited the French capital, with the street circuit touring around the historic Les Invalides and the Musée de l'Armée, which houses the tomb of Napoleon. Paris was also a home race for two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne who won the event in 2018, and the governing body of the championship; the FIA.
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Seoul
South Korea was a new location for Formula E, when we visited in Season 8. It was the first time the country had hosted a large-scale motorsport event since 2013, and the race was part of the Seoul Fest celebrations in the city. The circuit was very unique, running through and around the Sports Complex facility and Jamsil Olympic Stadium, and had a real old school Formula E feel to it. It was also the host of the 100th Formula E event, with Edoardo Mortara taking home the first place trophy.