As uncertainty in the Middle East continues, with many racing series shifting their plans away from the region, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds stated to the media that the series still plans to host the opening weekend of its 2026-27 season at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
The event, preliminarily scheduled for December 18-19, is set to host the first two rounds of the Formula E championship while also serving as the backdrop for the debut of the series’ all-new Gen. 4 car.
“We’re due to start our season for the Gen. 4 era in Jeddah in December. And currently, that is absolutely our plan.” Dodds said.
“We talk to the Kingdom on a very regular basis, and obviously we’re monitoring what’s happening in that part of the world on a very regular basis. Of course, the situation changes so rapidly that monitoring it in July, August time when you’ve got a race in December is maybe not that helpful, but you’re quite right. There comes a point where a decision has to be taken because we start to ship cars and logistics start to move cars out there for the race in December.”
Although the situation remains fluid, Dodds remains confident that the series will continue toward opening its season at its scheduled venue in Jeddah.
Should plans change, Dodds says Formula E would take a similar approach to other championships facing the scheduling dilemma, with the Jeddah event potentially being rescheduled for a later date in the season and Mexico serving as the opening round of the Season 13 calendar.
“I personally have a very high confidence that the race will go ahead in December in Jeddah,” Dodds said. “If we collectively decided that we didn’t think that was the right answer, we also have a date penciled into the calendar as a contingency date later in the following year that we could move the race to. But that would be very much a mutual decision taken by ourselves and the location, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“In terms of would we have a contingency, as in would we plan to drop in another race location if we didn’t start the season? I think our strong view at the moment is that if we couldn’t, and I’ll stress our plan is to, but if we couldn’t start the season in Saudi Arabia in December, then the season will just start in January in Mexico at the next calendar race.
“We wouldn’t rush to try and find another location to replace it, because we don’t think that would be necessary.”
The 2025-26 Formula E season finale races are set to take place next weekend, Saturday, August 15, and Sunday, August 16. Entering the weekend, Jake Dennis leads the championship with Andretti FE Team, while eight other drivers remain in mathematical contention to win the drivers’ title, representing almost half of the grid.
