Formula E has unveiled its most ambitious season schedule to date, with the 2026-27 championship set to feature a record 21 races across 13 venues — including new additions Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Brands Hatch in Britain, and Zandvoort in the Netherlands. Series co-founder Alberto Longo said the expanded calendar is designed to demonstrate the full capabilities of the new Gen4 cars, while insisting that the championship's street-racing identity remains intact.

Key New Venues and What Drove the Choices

Securing a second race on US soil was described by Longo as a top priority heading into the new season. COTA emerged ahead of several competing candidates, with Longo explaining the decision was performance-led. 'Being for a second time in the U.S. was such a key priority, top priority for Formula E,' he said before the Shanghai E-Prix. 'We had three or four different tracks that we would have loved to be on, and I had talks with all of them. But in the end, we thought COTA would showcase the best performance out of our cars, and that was absolutely key for us.'

Zandvoort — set to drop off the Formula 1 calendar after 2026 — was selected following a similar evaluation process. Longo cited Dutch driver Nyck de Vries, a local hero competing in Formula E, and the presence of series partner Liberty Global in Amsterdam as additional factors in the circuit's favour.

Brands Hatch will replace London's ExCeL Circuit as Formula E's British base. Longo said the ExCeL layout was simply too narrow for the larger Gen4 machinery. 'The track was too tight for the Gen4 cars, and it wouldn't allow us to showcase the real performance of those cars,' he said. Organisers also confirmed they intend to modify the historic Kent circuit's layout based on simulation data, rather than use it in its existing form.

Street Racing Ethos: 'Zero Change'

The growing number of permanent circuits on the schedule has prompted questions about whether Formula E — founded in 2014 on a street-racing identity — is drifting from its roots. Longo was unequivocal in his response. 'Zero change,' he said. 'Our DNA is to be racing in the heart of the biggest cities of the world. That's what we are.'

He outlined the selection logic: city-centre street tracks are always the first preference, but permanent venues are chosen when no suitable urban layout exists or when a street circuit cannot adequately display the Gen4 cars' performance. Fan experience, he added, remains the overriding consideration. 'We don't want to become a boring championship. We will still be the most fun championship in the world to watch,' Longo said.

The New 'E-Prix Unleashed' Sprint Format

Alongside the venue additions, the 2026-27 season will introduce a new 'E-Prix Unleashed' sprint format during double-header weekends. Full details of the format have not yet been disclosed, but it represents another structural change aimed at enhancing the on-track spectacle as the series scales up.

Drivers Welcome Expanded Calendar, With Caveats

Jaguar TCS Racing's Mitch Evans welcomed the broader schedule while acknowledging a personal preference for street circuits. 'The calendar looks great,' the New Zealander said. 'I actually prefer more street tracks; I just love the challenge of a street track. But I think as the cars are getting faster, with Gen4, you need a good balance on the calendar between permanent facilities and street tracks.'

DS Penske driver and two-time champion Jean-Eric Vergne echoed the sentiment, noting that the Gen4 cars' size and power make tighter street layouts increasingly impractical. 'I prefer the street tracks, but the problem is the Formula E street tracks are too small for the new cars,' he said. Vergne nonetheless framed the changes positively. 'It really shows that FE is going in a different league, especially with the car. So I'm happy with that.'

With the 2026-27 season still months away, the full schedule and race dates are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks as venue contracts are finalised.