Formula E delays Jeddah opener as Mexico steps in for 2026/27

Now here is a shake-up nobody wanted to see, but one that unfortunately makes complete sense given the state of the world. As Motorsport.com reports, the upcoming 2026/27 Formula E season has lost its planned curtain-raiser in Saudi Arabia, with the championship forced to shuffle its massive 21-round calendar.

Jeddah was supposed to kick off the brand-new Gen4 era with a double-header weekend on 18-19 December. Sadly, that plan was always hanging by a thread due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East. With ongoing war between the United States/Israel and Iran wreaking havoc across regional racing schedules, alongside attacks from Yemeni-based rebel Houthis, the all-electric championship decided to steer clear.

While Formula 1 still plans to wrap up its season in the region this December and MotoGP recently raced in Qatar, Formula E ultimately opted for caution. The championship stated that the decision came after constructive dialogue with primary partners to account for regional developments and logistics, emphasizing that the move preserves the complete integrity and scope of the championship. Thankfully, the total race count and the double-header structure in Jeddah are not lost; they have simply been moved to 16-17 April.

That calendar shift means Mexico City will now host the season opener on 16 January at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. From there, the series moves to Austin on 6 February and Miami two weeks later, before Sao Paulo wraps up the American leg on 13 March. Sanya slots into round seven on 3 April, taking the slot originally pencilled for the Saudi weekend, before the championship heads into a blockbuster European stretch starting in Monaco on 1-2 May.

That European leg brings plenty of fresh flavor, too. Berlin follows Monte Carlo on 8-9 May, and then Brands Hatch makes its championship debut on 29 May, replacing the ExCeL as the host of the London E-Prix. Zandvoort also makes its first appearance on the calendar with a Dutch date on 18-19 June, followed just a week later by the Madrid E-Prix in Spain. Finally, Shanghai takes the penultimate weekend on 10-11 July, leaving Tokyo to host the season finale just two weeks later.

Before any of that frantic racing begins, pre-season testing gets underway next week in Madrid on 16-20 November. That session will give everyone their first competitive look at the Gen4 machines, which are shaping up to be Formula E’s fastest beasts yet. When the lights eventually go out in Mexico, Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein will arrive as the defending champion after claiming his crown in August at the ExCeL, joining Jean-Eric Vergne as Formula E’s only two-time title holder.