Formula E explained: how does a race weekend look like?
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship operates on a fundamentally different rhythm compared to traditional motorsport categories. While other premier racing series stretch their track action over a leisurely three-day weekend, Formula E compresses its high-stakes drama into a relentless, single-day format. Ahead of Rounds 7 and 8 in Berlin, here is a comprehensive breakdown of how an E-Prix weekend unfolds.
The single-day crucible
Unlike the sprawling schedules of other championships, the core of a Formula E event is executed on race day—typically a Saturday or Sunday. The weekend begins with a brief half-hour practice session on Friday evening, allowing teams to calibrate their setups and get a feel for the tracks. However, the true test of endurance and precision occurs on race day.
A second practice session kicks off the morning, immediately followed by the **high-pressure qualifying format **and, ultimately, the race itself. Between these critical on-track sessions, the paddock is a hive of activity, with medical inspections, technical debriefs, and fan autograph sessions. It is a busy schedule that demands absolute focus from drivers and flawless execution from the teams, ensuring there is always something to see or do for fans on the ground.
Practice and preparation
The number of practice sessions hinges on the event's structure. A standard single-race weekend features two 40-minute practice opportunities: one the day prior and one on the morning of the E-Prix. For double-header events, such as the upcoming Berlin E-Prix, a third practice session is integrated into the second race day before qualifying.
While these sessions are timed, the results do not dictate the competitive running order for qualifying or the race. They serve purely as a critical window for teams and drivers to evaluate car behavior, familiarize themselves with the circuit, and make necessary setup changes. Additionally, some venues host a shakedown session the day before the race, where drivers take to the track at reduced speeds to verify electronic systems and overall reliability.
The duels: a Qualifying masterclass
Formula E’s qualifying format, introduced in Season 8, is arguably one of the most compelling in modern motorsport. The process begins with a Groups stage, dividing the grid into two groups of 10 based on their Drivers' World Championship standings. Operating at 300kW of power, drivers have a 10-minute window to set their fastest laps. The top four from each group advance to the knockout Duels.
The Duels stage elevates the intensity, pitting the remaining eight drivers against each other in one-lap, head-to-head battles at a maximum 350kW power. The quarter-final winners progress to the semi-finals, culminating in a nail-biting final showdown for the Julius Baer Pole Position and three crucial championship points.
The grid is then formed based on these results: the runner-up takes second, semi-finalists occupy third and fourth, and quarter-finalists fill fifth through eighth based on their lap times. The remaining drivers from the polesitter's group take the odd grid slots (ninth, eleventh, etc.), while the corresponding drivers from the other group fill the even slots.
The race: strategy, power, and precision
The climax of the day is the E-Prix itself, commencing with a traditional standing start. The grid lines up on a dummy grid before slowly filing into position. Races are run to a predetermined number of laps, though laps can be added for Safety Car and Full Course Yellow interruptions. The final number of added laps is announced three laps prior to the end of the E-Prix, ensuring strategic clarity. While races typically last around an hour, extreme conditions can extend this—Season 9 saw a record-breaking 2-hour, 13-minute marathon in London due to crazy weather.
Strategic complexity is amplified by ATTACK MODE, introduced in Season 5. Drivers must navigate a specific off-line Activation Zone to unlock an additional 50kW of power, boosting their output to 350kW for a limited time published by the FIA pre-race. For Season 12, the strategic landscape shifts further. In races featuring the innovative PIT BOOST—a mandatory 30-second pit stop for a 600kW recharge that provides 10% more energy, debuted in Season 11—drivers are limited to a single ATTACK MODE activation, with no obligation to use their full allocation. This flexibility makes timing the PIT BOOST a critical, race-defining decision.
As the series looks toward the future, the anticipation surrounding the Gen4 era continues to build, promising even greater technological leaps.
The points system
Formula E utilizes a standard points system, used in other FIA-sanctioned series, for the top 10 finishers:
- 1st: 25pts
- 2nd: 18pts
- 3rd: 15pts
- 4th: 12pts
- 5th: 10pts
- 6th: 8pts
- 7th: 6pts
- 8th: 4pts
- 9th: 2pts
- 10th: 1pt
Additional points are awarded for securing the Julius Baer Pole Position (three points) and clinching the Fastest Lap (one point). After the race, the top three drivers head to the podium for celebrations and media commitments.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.