Formula E’s coming home – 5 talking points ahead of World Championship’s London double-header this weekend

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship comes rolling into London this week for the electric-racing Championship’s flagship race in the capital. The Championship is set to bring the wheel-to-wheel action to London’s Docklands with a unique track which will go through the ExCeL London.

With a whole week of activity ahead here are some of the highlights to watch out for including the double-header taking place on July 30-31, which will be broadcast live on Eurosport 2 from 15:00 BST across both days.

State of the Championship Battle

Mercedes-EQ’s Stoffel Vandoorne leads the Drivers’ Championship heading into the final four races of the season with the Belgian sitting 11 points clear of Edoardo Mortara (ROKiT Venturi Racing) after a rough weekend in New York City for the former leader.

Vandoorne has been the picture of consistency this season, having points-scored in all but one of the races, despite winning just one E-Prix compared to the Venturi driver’s three victories.

And it was this consistency which allowed Vandoorne to leapfrog Mortara, the latter only scoring 5 points across the double-header weekend despite setting the fastest lap in both races. The Swiss-Italian will hope that race pace will lead him back to the top of the pack in London.

Sitting a further five points back as next closest challenger is Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans, and another nine back is two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne (DS TECHEETAH) who endured a pointless weekend in Brooklyn to dent his title hopes.

But with a maximum 58 points on offer, mathematically any of the top-6 could end the weekend top of the Drivers’ Standings ahead of the season finale in Seoul.

Formula E’s Coming Home

With its headquarters based in London, Formula E has a rich history in the capital beginning in Season 1 when Battersea Park hosted the final races of the season and the first champion, Nelson Piquet JR, was crowned.

However, while hunting for a different and preferred location, the Championship took a three-year break from racing in the UK before making it back on the calendar for Season 6 until the global pandemic ended the chance for fans to watch that year.

The race finally returned last season as Brits Jake Dennis and Alex Lynn gave home fans something to cheer about by taking the chequered flag in each race. Dennis will be racing again this season while Jaguar’s Sam Bird – who won race two of the inaugural London double-header in Season 1 – will also be taking to the track in front of his home crowd once again.

As one of the most unique races on the calendar thanks to the indoor-outdoor setting at the London ExCeL – which could make things very interesting in the event of rain – the thousands of fans in attendance will be given a show come this weekend.

Formula E teams up with UNICEF & Tom Hiddleston for ‘Take a Breath’

As part of the London race week, Formula E and UNICEF launched the ‘Take a Breath’ campaign with UNICEF Ambassador Tom Hiddleston, highlighting the impact of air pollution on children via a special short film.

The new campaign from the all-electric motorsport series Formula E and charity partner UNICEF builds on their ongoing partnership, creating a cleaner, safe environment for three million children worldwide

This year alone 600,000 children globally under the age of five will die from causes related to air pollution and with the Mayor of London also highlighting the importance of air quality in the capital the promotion of clean air for all children was never timelier. Watch the video below.

Here Come the Girls for FIA Girls on Track

A hundred girls from the local community will be taking part in the FIA Girls on Track initiative on Friday week at the London ExCeL as Formula E looks to inspire the next generation of female drivers, mechanics, journalists and marshals.

The girls aged 8-18 will be given a full day of activity by Girls on Track to show that a future job in motorsport is within reach for women and girls whether that is as a driver or a member of the wider ecosystem.

With presentations from some of the key women involved in the sport such as ROKiT Ventur Racing’s Susie Wolff or Formula E’s Chief Media Officer Aarti Dabas the girls are in line for an inspiring day at the ExCeL London.

Formula E Giving Back to Newham

As part of Formula E’s sustainability strategy, the Championship works with local communities in its host cities to accelerate sustainable human progress.

For the London E-Prix, Formula E will be visiting Newham’s Richard House Hospice with a real Gen2 car before making a financial donation to their playground restoration, including leftover plants from the London E-Prix being donated to the hospice following the event, tickets to the London E-Prix and goody bags. A £2000 donation will also go to offering new, tailored services to children with complex needs, such as BASE (Body and Soul Education).

Working with Newham Council and ExCeL London Formula E is focusing on raising awareness of air pollution in the borough by showcasing the benefits of driving electric and how clean mobility can counteract climate change. This is in line with Newham’s own target to become carbon neutral by 2030, 20 years earlier than London’s target by 2050, despite being one of the most polluted in the capital.

To continue to reduce emissions, fans will be encouraged to take public transport to the ExCeL making use of the new Formula E-lizabeth line.