Due to bad weather, next week’s Formula E tests will take place at the Jarama circuit near Madrid.
As we previously announced, Formula E will not go to the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia for the crucial pre-season tests scheduled from 4 to 7 November, due to the severe weather conditions that have hit the city and much of Spain.
Of course, all motorsport takes a back seat in such a tragic situation for the Spanish city, with the current toll at 158 victims and many missing, numbers that are unfortunately likely to rise.
To avoid hindering the local community and wasting resources that could instead aid the city’s recovery, Formula E is relocating to Madrid, at the Jarama Circuit, for the pre-season tests. These tests will take place a day later than originally scheduled, from 5 to 8 November, with the final day dedicated to the Women’s Test.
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo was set to host the first test session exclusively for women, scheduled for 7 November.
However, the schedule is, of course, still to be confirmed, as the logistics and organisation need to be entirely restructured.
As stated in Formula E’s initial announcement on the situation, the top-tier electric series operators were already at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo preparing for the four days of testing. In fact, four of them were forced to spend the night of the flood at the circuit.
Formula E has decided to go ahead with pre-season testing, albeit at a different location, primarily because Season 11—marking the debut of the new generation of cars, the GEN 3 Evo—will begin in a month with the São Paulo E-Prix. For teams and drivers, starting the season without any prior testing would not have been ideal.
Formula E moves to Madrid: the official statement
Below is the statement from Formula E, which arrived last night: “We have all been monitoring the tragic situation in Valencia, where flash floods have devastated the region and claimed many lives. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these terrible events and we at Formula E are looking at how we can practically support the region during this awful time.”
“Following consultation with local authorities, the FIA and our colleagues at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, we have decided not to proceed with our pre-season test in Valencia, planned for 4-7 November. While it may have been possible to go ahead logistically, it is important not to create any distraction or use valuable resources that are much better served supporting the local community. We have a number of Formula E team members who have been working on the ground in Valencia over the past week, and we want to personally thank them for everything they’ve done, and continue to do, to support the area.”
“The pre-season test is an important moment in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar ahead of Season 11 starting in Sao Paulo on 6-7 December, as it allows us to check the new GEN3 Evo cars for safety, and also to establish that we can safely and effectively deploy new technologies. We have also planned for the first-ever Women’s Test to take place during this event.”
“Therefore, we have taken the decision to secure an alternative location, and Circuit del Jarama in Madrid will host both the FIA Formula E Official Test and the Women’s Test next week, scheduled for Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 November. The full event schedule will be confirmed in due course, as we navigate a number of logistical and operational challenges which will determine if it’s possible to move our test operations to Madrid within this timeframe.”
“Our first thoughts are with the community of Valencia. The city has a special place in our hearts: it has been ever-present on our calendar since 2017 and we have recently moved our operations base there. It is like a second home for Formula E. We will support the community to recover from these tragic events in any way we can, and ensure that while our testing continues in Madrid, it is done with the utmost sensitivity.”
PHOTO: Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Circuito Jarama.
