Sebastien Buemi to retire from Formula E after London E-Prix

Buemi ends 12-season Formula E career

Sebastien Buemi will retire from Formula E at the end of this weekend’s London E-Prix, bringing one of the championship’s most accomplished careers to a close. The Swiss driver will remain with Envision Racing in an advisory and development role as the team prepares for the start of the Gen4 era.

WEC commitments shape decision

Speculation about Buemi’s future had intensified over recent months after the series’ original 2026-27 calendar included two clashes with the World Endurance Championship. Formula E later rescheduled the 2027 Monaco round, reducing the overlap to one event, but Buemi has nevertheless opted to step away from the championship to focus on his Hypercar commitments with Toyota.

“This has been a difficult decision, particularly given the contribution both Seb and Joel have made to our team,” said team principal Sylvain Filippi.

“As we look ahead to Gen4 and an increasingly demanding Formula E calendar, we are entering an important period of development for the team. Seb’s experience will remain valuable to us, and we are pleased that he will continue to support Envision Racing in an advisory and development capacity.”

From championship star to Envision adviser

Buemi became one of Formula E’s defining early figures, closely associated with the Renault e.dams operation that later became Nissan’s factory squad. He won the championship in only the second season of the series, and remained a leading contender in the years that followed.

His title defence was complicated by a clash with WEC commitments that forced him to miss the New York double-header. He ultimately finished second, but continued to compete at the front with Renault and Nissan before making the bold move to Jaguar customer Envision in 2023.

Although he did not reproduce his earlier peak, Buemi continued to collect occasional podiums and returned to winning form with victory in last year’s Monaco E-Prix. The 2025-26 campaign is his fourth and final season with Envision.

Buemi will not be the only Formula E veteran departing. Lucas di Grassi, the 2016-17 champion and another driver who has competed since the championship’s inception, announced his impending exit in April.