Mexico City will kick off the 2026–27 Formula E season in January

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez will host the first race of the 2026/27 Formula E season on January 16, 2027, a change stemming from the postponement of the Jeddah double-header. That round will also mark the competitive debut of the GEN4 cars.

Photo By Formula E

The series announced on November 12, in agreement with the FIA and the local promoter, that the two Saudi Arabia races will move from December 18 and 19, 2026 to April 16 and 17, 2027. The change is due to the regional situation and the logistical difficulties involved in moving teams and equipment to the Middle East.

This adjustment is part of a series of changes that began in March, when the military escalation in the region forced several championships to alter their plans. Formula 1 lost the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, the WEC moved its Qatar round, the WRC withdrew its Saudi finale, and the Dakar will leave Saudi Arabia in 2027. The Formula 1 calendar went from 24 to 22 races, because neither was replaced.

In the case of Jeddah, the venue keeps its two races, now as the sixth and seventh rounds, though their holding in April will depend on conditions allowing it. Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, said that if the double-header cannot be run, the most likely option would be to reduce the number of races rather than seek a replacement venue.

For Mexico, the change means returning to the first slot on the calendar, something that had not happened since January 2024. Mexico City had already opened the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, with wins by Jake Dennis and Pascal Wehrlein in those openers. Now it reclaims that place, which São Paulo held in the previous two seasons.

Photo By Formula E

The GEN4 cars replace the GEN3 Evo and arrive with up to 600 kW of power in Attack Mode, permanent all-wheel drive, and speeds above 335 kilometers per hour. The Mexico City layout will have a longer configuration than in previous editions, so teams will have to adjust energy management and setup from their first race at that track.

Pre-season testing in Madrid was scheduled for the week of November 16 to 20, but the GEN4's racing debut had been planned for Jeddah. With the Saudi postponement, that debut moves to Mexico. Sanya also changed dates: its race at Haitang Bay moved from April 17 to April 3, placing the China visit between the Hainan international forum and its annual trade expo.

The change delays the start of the season, which had been planned for December and will now begin in January. It also regroups the races by region. The American leg is now made up of Mexico, Austin, Miami, and São Paulo, which reduces the transport of equipment between continents. The most delicate point remains Jeddah, because if the April double-header does not materialize, the series would lose races without recovering them at another venue.

The January 16 race will also carry the weight of inaugurating the GEN4 era in competition, with the first points for the new cars on an extended layout that will serve teams as their first reference for the rest of the season.