Brands Hatch will host the London E-Prix from the 2026-27 season. The iconic Kent circuit replaces the ExCeL centre, which can no longer accommodate Formula E’s bigger and faster Gen4 car.
Zandvoort and the Circuit of the Americas in Austin join the calendar too, as the series expands to a record 21 races across 13 cities.
The move had been expected. The ExCeL’s narrow indoor-outdoor layout was already struggling with the Gen3 Evo cars. Race organisers ruled out a Gen4 race there entirely. The new car produces 805 horsepower in qualifying trim, a 50% jump over its predecessor, and is significantly larger.
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds called Brands Hatch “one of the best circuits in the world.” He confirmed a multi-year deal with circuit organiser MSV. “I don’t influence the calendar too much, but Brands Hatch was my local circuit growing up,” he told Motorsport.com.
A new format for double-header weekends
The 2026-27 season opens under the lights in Jeddah on 18 & 19 Dec. 2026. It closes in Tokyo in July 2027. Eight venues will host double-headers, including Brands Hatch on 29 & 30 May 2027 and Zandvoort on 18 & 19 June 2027.
Those double-header weekends also bring a new sporting format. One race will be the traditional E-Prix with full battery management strategy. The second will be a shorter “E-Prix Unleashed” race where drivers can push the Gen4 cars to their limit.
Austin had been in talks with the series for several years. It now joins Miami as the second US round. Dodds said more international racing in America helps “raise the awareness of other styles of racing” beyond NASCAR and IndyCar.
Formula E grouped the calendar by continent to cut freight mileage and emissions. The Americas leg runs from January to March. Europe follows from May to June. Asia closes the season in July.
Dodds is confident about where the Gen4 puts Formula E in the wider picture. “Gen4 gets us right on the heels [of F1],” he said. “And Gen5 is probably faster.”
