The London ExCeL Arena will continue to host the season finale of Formula E until the summer of 2026 after securing a one-year extension to its deal.
The Race revealed last month that negotiations over an agreement were advancing and with that plan now firmed up official confirmation that the UK round is staying put in its unique part-indoor home for another year is expected soon.
ExCeL has hosted Formula E races on a specially created and unique indoor and outdoor circuit since 2022 and become a firm fan favourite as it hosted thrilling championship-deciding double-headers over the past two seasons in which Jake Dennis and Pascal Wehrlein took last gasp titles.
Formula E had entered into discussions with Silverstone and Brands Hatch over the last year as it looked to potentially take its UK round to a permanent track for the first time ever. Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle had extended talks with Formula E and travelled out to last May’s Shanghai E-Prix to view how fellow Formula 1 grand prix venue the Shanghai International Circuit adapted its course for Formula E.
But the prospect of Silverstone taking over from ExCeL did not transpire - although it’s possible it could be revisited for the first season of Gen4 in 2026/27.
The Race has also uncovered that ExCeL’s 2026 date could be in mid-August, in contrast to its usual July slot, and that scope exists for Formula E to effectively extend its final Gen3 season until that point.
This would largely be a consequence of other venues potentially having to switch their Formula E dates, particularly Tokyo - which could be affected by work around the Big Sight area in which the race is located.
Speaking to The Race in Mexico last weekend, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds wouldn’t confirm the London extension or a potential date but did say that Formula E had “obviously given some guidance on what the range of dates might be for season 12 for our teams”.
For the first time since the 2019-20 season, Formula E’s current campaign straddles two calendar years - having begun in Sao Paulo before Christmas 2024.
The main clue Dodds gave about the next calendar was that its opener was likely to be in December again.
“We started this season in December in San Paolo and actually, I think that worked pretty well for us,” he said.
“Our results so far on cumulative audience, TV audience, digital views, is much higher than last year. So, I think going from a December start, break for Christmas, new year, then bang, we go again, actually works quite well for us.
“So, I wouldn't write off starting in the same calendar year [2025] again. And I think the window probably extends out to about August time.
“Whatever date we land on in London is because it’s the best date available with the venue.”
While there will be widespread relief that the ExCeL Arena remains as Formula E’s UK host, the season finale being in August - as happened in 2021 (in Berlin) and 2022 (in Seoul) - may get a poor reception.
That is because teams require a break for their staff, especially in a rules transition year as 2026 will be with the Gen4 car era beginning with the 2026-27 campaign.
Manufacturers will start Gen4 testing prior to the end of the 2025-26 campaign and are likely to be forced into concurrent testing and race programmes with complicated new hardware.
Gen4 will also be a much quicker package - with pace likely to be comparable to Formula 2 cars as Formula creates easily the fastest electric single-seater racing car ever produced.
McLaren team boss Ian James admitted a smaller gap between the final Gen3 race and the start of Gen4 during 2026 would create a headache.
“That will put pressure on teams but on the flip side, we often say everybody’s in the same boat,” James told The Race.
“Sometimes these challenges can be a positive for the teams that can manage them well.
“I think from a manufacturer’s perspective, certainly with Gen4, that’s going to be tough though if [the August 2026 finish is] confirmed.”
But there could also be visibility benefits in running the 2025-26 season finale in August given the FIFA World Cup is set to take place in North and Central America across June and July.
Additionally, an August finale for Formula E is highly unlikely to clash with F1 as it falls in that series’ traditional summer break. London’s 2023 and ‘24 Formula E deciders were both direct clashes with F1 races.
As well as London, races in Cape Town, Santiago and Chiang Mai in Thailand could also be included in the provisional 2025-26 calendar, which is set to be made public at the FIA World Motorsport Council meeting in June.
