Formula E insists Jeddah season opener is on despite Middle East conflict — Yahoo Sports

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

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Formula E is confident that Jeddah will host the opening round of the Gen4 era in December as planned, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The war involving the US, Israel and Iran has disrupted supply chains, driven up oil prices and complicated international travel, with all international motorsport championships affected by the situation in various ways.

Formula E was able to avoid any major disruptions during its recently-concluded 2025-26 season, with the Saudi Arabian round going ahead safely in mid-February before the war broke out in the region.

However, the upcoming 2026-27 campaign is due to begin at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on 18 December, raising questions over the start of the Gen4 era.

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Formula 1 already had to cancel its scheduled event at the same circuit in April, while the World Endurance Championship has also replaced its Middle East events in Qatar and Bahrain, which were due to take place in October and November respectively.

But as things stand, Formula E expects its Jeddah opener to go ahead as scheduled, having been encouraged by regular reports it has received from local authorities as well as international organisations monitoring the scenario.

“We have full understanding that the race in Jeddah can happen and is going to happen,” Formula E’s chief championship officer Alberto Longo told Motorsport.com.

“We meet regularly with the authorities in the country and in the city of Jeddah. They are passionate about Formula E. It's the ninth year in a row that we're going to be racing there.

“Obviously, we are aware of the conflict. We have a plan B in case it's needed. But I can confirm here that if the race was to happen in the next couple of weeks, the race will happen.

“This is not because Formula E says so. It's because the authorities and the local authorities are telling us that it's totally safe to be racing there.

“And not only that, but we also consult with three different world organisations: one in the US, one in the UK, the other one in Europe. We receive a weekly report from them on how the situation in the country is and whether the risk of travelling to Jeddah is either good or moderate, or is a ‘no-go’.

“At the moment, the three organisations are telling us that it's low-to-moderate risk. So, definitely in that case, and obviously listening to our partners - local partners and everyone in the municipality - we would go if the race is to happen next week.”

Jeddah hosted its first Formula E race in 2025

Formula E has a plan B

Longo admitted that the situation in the Middle East is fluid, revealing Formula E has a contingency plan should it become unsafe for the championship to travel to the region.

“What is going to happen in December? That we don't know. We don't have a crystal ball,” he said. “But definitely, we have everything in place, all the processes in place.

“Everybody, every single team principal, every single manufacturer knows what the strategy is. Everybody knows what could be plan B, if needed.

“But today, we don't feel like we're going to need to postpone the race or to do anything. We will just respect the 18th of December as the launch of the Gen 4.”

The Jeddah event is set to be a landmark moment for Formula E, marking the debut of the Gen 4 car that is capable of producing 800bhp and outperforming a Formula 2 machine around a typical track.

Further, Saudi Arabia is an important market for the championship, with the country’s Public Investment Fund holding a minority stake in Formula E Holdings Ltd. Local companies PIF, SABIC and Saudia airline also serve as series sponsors.

Saudi Arabia would mark the debut of Formula E's Gen 4 era

Jeddah, located on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, is also geographically more removed from the areas affected by the current tensions than Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE, which are located around the Persian Gulf.

Should Formula E ultimately decide against racing in Jeddah in December, the Mexico event on 16 January will kick off the series’ new Gen 4 era.

“[In that scenario], the season will start in January and we will just postpone the Jeddah race. We cannot move things around now,” Longo said, clarifying that FE will not add another event in December if the Jeddah race is cancelled.

Both F1 and MotoGP are yet to decide the fate of their remaining Middle East events. MotoGP’s exposure to the region is limited to just one grand prix in Qatar, but the 2026 F1 season is due to conclude with a double-header in Qatar and Abu Dhabi on 29 November and 6 December. F1 has already moved the Bahrain GP to Malaysia, while a decision on the other two events will be made by mid-September.