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Formula E has been without a support category since the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy ended in August 2020. Now, championship co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo has identified Season 14 as the revised target for the return of support racing — a campaign expected to begin towards the end of 2027.
The I-Pace eTrophy remains Formula E’s only support series to date, but its size meant it could not visit every venue. That limitation became more significant as Formula E moved towards more permanent circuits, where fans expect a continuous programme of on-track action. The absence of additional racing is particularly noticeable at venues such as Brands Hatch and Zandvoort.
Formula E’s challenge is to create a feeder category that strengthens the event without compromising the championship’s sustainability message. An internal-combustion support series would conflict with that objective, so Longo’s preference is an all-electric ladder built around accessibility and controlled costs.
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Longo said Formula E has been examining the idea since the championship began, but has proceeded cautiously to protect the main series and find suitable partners. He expects to hold 50 meetings with potential partners over the next year.
The NXT Gen Cup had been scheduled to become a support category in 2024, although that plan collapsed before it could be introduced. The target subsequently shifted from the current campaign to the start of the Gen4 era, and now to Season 14.
Longo’s ideal solution is a new single-make car developed from scratch at a cost of approximately €200,000 to €300,000. The objective is to keep team running costs low while ensuring drivers are rewarded for talent rather than required to purchase their seats.
That is why using existing Gen2 or Gen3 cars is not considered viable. Longo described them as expensive to maintain, making them unsuitable for a category designed around low budgets and drivers who do not bring funding.
“If we are to create a ladder for Formula E, it should be in the same way as we have done in Formula E,” Longo said. “It’s drivers with the best talent possible. They come and get paid, they don’t need to buy their seats.”
The proposal remains complex, but Formula E believes a credible electric feeder series would improve both awareness and its ability to identify future talent.
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.