Formula E: Berlin Circuit Layouts Revealed

Formula E has unveiled the 3 different circuit layouts that the championship will use across the final 6 races of the 2019/20 season, all at the Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.

For the first 2 races, the Tempelhof circuit will become the first venue to host an international racing championship on the reverse layout of the usual circuit.

The middle 2 races, set to take place on August 8th/9th, will take place on the contemporary layout, with Berlin’s famous endless Turn 1. The adaptations to make switching from reverse to normal layout possible will include reorganizing runoffs, barriers, kerbs, and broadcasting placements just to name a few, and will all be completed within 24 hours of the second reverse layout race being completed. This further adds to Formula E’s credibility as one of the most innovative championships in the world.

The final 2 races of the season will run in the usual anticlockwise direction, but on a modified layout. The new layout will comprise of an increased 16 corners, with Tempelhof’s usual highspeed middle sector being replaced by a tight and twisty formation of corners, to create a completely different energy management challenge for the teams.

The opening 2 races, Rounds 6 and 7, will take place on August 5th/6th, with the middle 2 races taking place on the weekend of the 8th/9th, and the final 2 races of the season taking place again on the Wednesday and Thursday on the 12th and 13th.

Formula E’s Sporting Director said, “It is a huge undertaking in terms of production to set up three different configurations for this event, with fewer people on-site to be able to carry out those changes,” said Frederic Espinos, Formula E Sporting Director. “We’re doing something that has never been seen before in world-class motorsport and it’s an example of how reactive and innovative Formula E is – it’s in our DNA.

“Racing in both directions has a lot of implications. It is not just turning all braking markers and the grid boxes around. Other international series wanted to make this happen but their proposals were rejected by the governing body.

“We had to make sure all the broadcast technology, overlays, branding, safety measures, barriers, kerbs and run-off worked and plan accordingly for this – whilst also making the changes viable in just 24 hours, with reduced resources.

“The third track will be more technical, so totally different again in terms of energy management and what the teams might be used to or expecting.

“All along, we aimed to make their lives as tricky as possible in Berlin, limiting the effectiveness of their simulation work and throwing strategies up in the air. Car setups will all need to change, energy management and regen will be completely different and teams will have to think on their feet.

“There will be a lot for drivers and engineers to get on top of before we go green and I feel the Formula E spectacle fans are familiar with will be pushed a step further still with this additional bundle of unknowns.”