Formula E extends London E-Prix deal with Excel London
Formula E has announced it will continue running the London ePrix around the Excel exhibition centre until at least 2026, with the indoor/outdoor spectacle allowing both parties to drive their commitments to sustainability and the environment.
Formula E brings a global television audience to Excel London, a unique event for the exhibition centre as it is the only one of over 300 events held annually to utilise its entire 125,000 square metres of space.
Advertisement
The race itself catches the eye as it passes through the exhibition space while also running externally parallel to the building, allowing Formula E to stage a race in the capital of the United Kingdom, just a stone's throw from the centre of London.
But, for all of these shared positives, the alliance – which has now been extended until at least 2026 and the end of the series' GEN3 Evo cars – also sees the all-electric series align with Excel London on their shared green ambitions.
The first race at the Excel took place in during season seven, a double-header in July 2021 that marked Formula E's return to London following a five-year absence, having previously been located in Battersea Park.
'Formula E has formally announced the extension of its contract with Excel London until at least 2026, allowing the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to continue using the world's first and only indoor-outdoor racetrack until the end of its GEN3 Evo era,' a statement confirming the new deal read.
Advertisement
'The extension means that the East London location is predicted to host the final race of the season 12 calendar, where 22 world-class drivers will compete for the coveted drivers', teams' and manufacturers' world championship trophies.
'The contract extension also means fans will be able to see the full GEN3 Evo lifespan race as this generation of car will take to the track for the final time in the UK ahead of the much-anticipated all-new GEN4-spec car in late 2026.'
The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team pit crew lift Jake Hughes, McLaren, e-4ORCE 04 up
The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team pit crew lift Jake Hughes, McLaren, e-4ORCE 04 up
Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Formula E chief championship officer, Alberto Longo, said of the extension: 'We're pleased to extend our relationship with Excel London, which has been a perfect home for Formula E over the last few years.
Advertisement
'Its unique track conditions and event space offers fans and drivers the very best of our sport, bringing the best racing and entertainment together in a truly unique venue at the heart of the capital, while all delivered sustainably.'
Driving that sustainability has become a key branch of the agreement between Formula E and the venue, as Darren Norman, director of immersive entertainment and events Excel London, explained to Motorsport.com.
'If we look back when we first started those early meetings on creating this sort of Scalextric, indoor- outdoor, up-and-down ramps through an exhibition hall, I remember looking at everyone thinking, is this even possible?' he said.
'But you've got a lot of very smart track designers and technical people who know far more about how to make that work than I ever will, and as soon as I heard it is technically possible, then you start going into solution mode and saying, well what do we need?
Advertisement
'What do we need to do with the floor indoors because it's polished concrete, not very good for turning and actually, with the polyformer we use, we have more grip inside than outside on the tarmac, all part of fairly considerable work needed to bring in a track that was FIA-compliant.'
Oliver Rowland, Nissan Formula E Team, 1st position, as he finishes the race
Oliver Rowland, Nissan Formula E Team, 1st position, as he finishes the race
Dom Romney / Motorsport Images
Dom Romney / Motorsport Images
A track was eventually created, signed off and used in 2021, and the unique layout certainly caught the eye. But since then, the partnership between championship and host venue as developed into much more.
Advertisement
'All of the concrete blocks needed to make a racetrack, Formula E used to store them and then lorry them in, but they are a carbon-neutral championship so what we do is we now store then on site, that's 260 blocks on site at the Excel,' revealed Norman.
'There is also no car access to the venue, everyone arrives by public transport, which again really feeds into Formula E's key strategy on that net-zero pledge.
'That is also a nice segue into the fact the Excel just won the Exhibition News' ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) award for being the best in the UK, so we also take it very, very seriously. We are carbon-neutral, and we've now set our own net-zero target to 2045. We're already quite well on the way to that.'
Charitable work has also been undertaken as a collaboration between Excel London and Formula E, helping the immediate areas around the venue, including Richard's House Children's Hospice and – through the championship's Better Futures Fund – providing a €25,000 grant to buy an electric van for Community Food Enterprise, a food bank charity in Newham, and allow it to complete deliveries in a sustainable manner and avoid ULEZ (ultra-low emission zone) tariffs.
Advertisement
The worldwide exposure also brings brand awareness and value to Excel London, as Norman concludes: 'It is a very important piece of business to us. Our business model is relatively straightforward. We are an open church to anybody that wants to create an environment to bring people together.
'The fact that Formula E takes all of that campus means it's important for us from a calendar perspective, but it's also a really great event for us to host because it shows a different side to the venue, it shows what we can do.'
The 2025 London ePrix will close out season 11 of Formula E, with two rounds taking place at Excel London on July 26-27.
To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
McLaren's New Supercar Is an Ode to Its Historic 1995 Win at Le Mans
Thirty years ago, McLaren won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a version of its F1 in what was the automaker's first appearance at the historic race. And it's still celebrating, with a just-unveiled version of its 750S. McLaren released a special-edition version of its 720S in 2020 to honor its 1995 win at Le Mans, and the new 750S Le Mans is in a similar style. The new launch comes in Le Mans Grey or McLaren Orange, along with the buyer's choice of Carbon Black and Dove Grey interiors or Carbon Black and McLaren Orange. The five-spoke wheels are also unique, the marque says, as is the roof scoop and various Le Mans branding across the car. More from Robb Report Some of America's Top Chefs Will Be Cooking at This Year's Citymeals on Wheels' Tasting Event This $9.8 Million L.A. Home by Architect Miller Fong Has Postcard Views of the Silver Lake Reservoir Volkswagen Is Restoring the Classic Microbus That Survived the Palisades Fire Most obviously, the rear spoiler is raised for 'visual drama,' though, along with the modified carbon fiber splitter, McLaren says that downforce is increased by 10 percent more than the regular 750S. The 750S Le Mans is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine like prior 750Ss; the Spider version was Robb Report's 2025 Car of the Year. 'This exclusive 750S is the first McLaren Le Mans edition since the F1 LM to feature HDK aerodynamic enhancements and is set to become one of our most sought-after supercars, with previous Le Mans editions of the 650S and 720S commanding a premium over standard models,' Henrik Wilhelmsmeyer, McLaren's chief commercial officer, said in a statement. If it seems a bit overkill to be still celebrating the 1995 Le Mans win even after prior special editions, that explains just how big of a deal it was for McLaren at the time. The 1995 win almost instantly made the F1 a legendary car, and it also gave the marque the distinction of being the only team to win the Triple Crown of Motorsports. That includes wins at the Indianapolis 500 (three times in the 1970s), Monaco (16 times), and Le Mans (once). Should you be interested in this slice of history, McLaren said it will make just 50 examples of the 750S Le Mans. It also did not reveal pricing, though it is very likely upwards of $400,000, given that the base 750S starts at around $320,000, and options quickly add to that cost. For enthusiasts of the marque and especially those who remember the 1995 win, it won't seem like of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- Miami Herald
McLaren Unveils 750S Le Mans Edition to Mark 30 Years Since 1995 Victory with MSO Upgrades
On June 18, 1995, the #59 McLaren F1 GTR of JJ Letho, Yannick Dalmas, and Masanori Sekiya claimed victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the automaker's debut as a constructor. An additional three McLaren F1 GTRs joined them in the top five placings. Three decades have passed since the landmark achievement, and McLaren is celebrating it with a 750S coupe fitted with an MSO High Downforce Kit (HDK) and other track-focused enhancements. Only 50 will be built, so its collector's status is guaranteed. The aerodynamic enhancements of the HDK add a sense of drama to the exterior and include a bigger carbon front splitter, a raised carbon-fiber Active Rear Spoiler with integral end plates, and a body-color carbon-fiber under-wing panel with louvers in gloss black. These items are claimed to increase downforce by 10%. The 50 special cars will also have unique five-spoke LM wheels, Le Mans branding, and a roof scoop and louvered front fenders made from carbon fiber. Only two exterior paint colors will be offered: McLaren Orange and Le Mans Grey. The two interior color schemes are Carbon Black and Dove Grey Alcantara with Jet Black leather, contrasted with either Dove Grey or McLaren Orange Alcantara. A commemorative plaque and Le Mans-branded headrests and floormats are standard too. Each owner will have access to a list of expensive options to make their 1-of-50 car truly unique. These include various parts available in Gloss Visual Carbon Fiber: Parts like mirror caps, hood vents, side intakes, and spoiler end platesAn underbody pack, including rear spoiler, rear diffuser, and front splitterA louver package, including those on the fenders and under the rear wing Under the skin, this is still a 750S, so you get the twin-turbocharged M840T V8 engine with 740 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This combination is good for a 0-62 mph sprint in 2.8 seconds. McLaren doesn't say by how much the HDK affects the regular 750S's 206-mph top speed. McLaren will be returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2027. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Morocco reveals ambitious £887m plan to host African F1 race
The coastal city of Tangiers in Morocco could host an F1 race (AFP via Getty Images) Morocco looks set to enter the competitive race to host an F1 race in Africa with a spectacular $1.2m (£887m) plan revealed near the coastal city of Tangier. Both South Africa – at either the Kyalami track near Johannesburg or a Cape Town street circuit, and Rwanda have expressed strong interest in hosting a grand prix, perhaps as early as 2027. Advertisement Africa is the only habitable continent that F1 does not host a race in, amidst the congested 24-event calendar. The last grand prix in Africa was the 1993 South African GP. But now, Morocco is aiming to build a mega-project 20km south of Tangier, which will include a Grade 1 circuit fit to host F1 and MotoGP, a theme park, a shopping mall and a marina. The architect behind the plan, ex-McLaren and Lotus team principal Eric Boullier, has his sights set on the project being something close to a 'mini-Abu Dhabi.' 'We went there [Tangier] to do a feasibility study to assess the potential of one day Formula 1 racing in Morocco,' Boullier told RacingNews365. Advertisement "We found the spot they selected met all the criteria, and from that point, we built the project. This is quite a big project. It is a mini-Abu Dhabi, if I may compare, creating a completely independent ecosystem, obviously based on tourism. "It will have a huge impact on the region, based south of Tangier, so additional hotels and the airport are all within 15 kilometres. It's a strategic project for the country, a very serious project, which needs to have the approval at the highest level. Ex-McLaren and Lotus team principal Eric Boullier has been tasked with bringing F1 to Morocco (Getty Images) 'If we get that, it will tick all the boxes of what F1 wants to achieve in Africa. It would make sense to hold F1 there, making it the pinnacle of the year, but with an ecosystem created to survive all year." Advertisement The project has already generated $800m of private investment, with the hope that more will be obtained if the spectacular plans are approved at the highest level in Morocco. Boullier was previously managing director of the French Grand Prix, last on the calendar in 2022 at Circuit Paul Ricard. F1 boss Stefano Domenicali has spoken numerous times of his focus on finding Africa a spot on the calendar, while Lewis Hamilton has also insisted that the sport must try and host a race on the continent.
