Formula E teams are continuing to finalize their driver lineups ahead of the launch of the game-changing 2026-2027 World Championship later this year.

The all-electric championship’s upcoming thirteenth season will be the longest in Formula E history, with 21 rounds to be staged across the world and three new tracks joining the calendar.

The sport is also gearing up for its largest technical upgrade to date, as the current Formula E Gen3 Evo package will be completely replaced by the all-new Formula E GEN4 car.

Pre-season testing is set to kick off at Spain’s Circuito de Madrid Jarama from 16 to 20 November, and the opening race remains tentatively scheduled for 18 December in Saudi Arabia.

China – a world leader in electric vehicle technology – is set to play a starring role in the upcoming season and will be the only country to host three rounds during the 2026-2027 championship.

‘Silly season’ heats up

The so-called silly season is well underway in Formula E circles as speculation surrounding driver transfers and contracts reaches fever pitch.

Remarkably, the 2025-2026 drivers’ world champion Pascal Wehrlein remains technically unsigned for the upcoming season, but the German racer is widely expected to remain at Porsche.

Marquee names like Nyck De Vries are also currently out of contract, though the Dutchman is also tipped to stay at Mahindra.

Unsurprisingly, Andretti motorsport will retain Felipe Drugovich and Jake Dennis for GEN4 on the back of a thrilling 2025-2026 campaign that saw Dennis narrowly miss out on the drivers’ championship.

Likewise, Citroën will retain both Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne and Kiwi Nick Cassidy.

Elsewhere, China-owned team Envision Racing has parted ways with both Swiss veteran Sebastien Buemi and Swede Joel Eriksson.

Eriksson, who delivered a surprise podium for Envision in Shanghai, leaves after just one full season with the team, while Buemi retired after racing in Formula E since the championship’s inception in 2014.

In their places, the Shanghai-backed green machines have chosen former Envision development driver Zak O’Sullivan and outgoing DS PENSKE driver Maximilian Günther.

“Max has proven how capable he is at delivering qualifying laps when it matters, as well as podium finishes and race wins,” Envision Racing team principal Sylvain Filippi said in a statement when the deal was announced.

Among the other moves in the paddock, Zane Maloney has officially shifted from Lola Yamaha to Nissan, where he will join longtime driver and former world champion Oliver Rowland.

But questions remain, as reigning team champions Jaguar are yet to confirm who will partner Portugal’s Antonio Felix Da Costa after the departure of Kiwi racer Mitch Evans (more on that later).

Will Jaguar pick a familiar face from the pool of free agents or could the British marque surprise us?

Calendar updates and China’s pole position

The new season introduces several iconic venues to Formula E as the series noticeably shifts from temporary street circuits to more permanent, heavy-duty racetracks.

Historic tracks like Brands Hatch in the United Kingdom, Zandvoort in the Netherlands and the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, will all join the calendar for the first time.

Old favorites like Monaco, Sao Paulo and Berlin will also return.

Sanya in south China’s Hainan Province will shuffle up the calendar next season and return in April 2027.

The new date is likely designed to better suit the local climate following this year’s sweltering June race.

Chinese racing fans will once again have two races at the Shanghai International Circuit to look forward to.

The rain-soaked rounds in Shanghai proved decisive in shifting the momentum of the 2025-2026 drivers’ championship, and the circuit has fast become a favorite among fans.

But heavy doubt hangs over the season opener in Saudi Arabia.

Organizers have yet to issue an update on the opening two rounds in Jeddah, which are currently scheduled to take place as planned.

Earlier this year, Formula E narrowly avoided cancellations from ongoing conflict in the region, with last season’s Saudi races wrapping up mere days before the Iran war began.

GEN4 revolution

Unlike Formula One, teams in Formula E all compete with an identical chassis, and the 2026-2027 campaign will be the first season for the hotly anticipated GEN4 car.

Delivering up to 600 kilowatts (815 horsepower), active all-wheel drive, and 0-60 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) acceleration in just 1.8 seconds, the GEN4 is the most powerful and fastest Formula E car ever built.

On paper, the GEN4 car could theoretically outpace a Formula One car on a rainy day.

Marking a dramatic leap in efficiency and performance, the new generation has been designed to push the boundaries of innovation while continuing Formula E’s commitment to sustainability.

For the sport’s stakeholders, the GEN4 is widely seen as a chance to grow Formula E’s audience and tap into the current global popularity of open-wheel racing thanks to Formula One.

Opel goes green

In a big vote of confidence for the future of Formula E, heritage German car manufacturer Opel will join the grid this season.

Opel is one of the largest European car manufacturers and started building automobiles in Germany way back in 1899.

Their move into all-electric racing coincides with a major new chapter for the Stellantis-owned brand as it pivots further into the electric vehicle space.

Currently, Opel is working with Hangzhou-based Leapmotor to build a new C-segment electric SUV using the Chinese company’s electric architecture and battery technology.

Opel clearly means business, and even wooed Jaguar driver Mitch Evans, the winningest driver in the sport’s history, to join the new team alongside 2023 Formula 2 champion Théo Pourchaire.

Evans told CGTN he was looking forward to a fresh start and racing at the new tracks.

“The calendar looks awesome; it’s hard to choose one, but I think going to Austin will be pretty wicked,” he said.

“I think it's really important, not just for Opel, but for Formula E to be going to these different markets and different cities.”