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By Motoring Reporter

Journalist


Cape Town gets the nod as host for Formula E in 2022

Arrival of Formula E marks the return of international single-seater racing to South Africa since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.


The eighth season of the all-electric Formula E series, which kicks off in January next year, will see Cape Town host the fourth round in February as the first ever Southern African city to do so.

In announcing the calendar for the 2021/2022 season, the FIA sanctioned series confirmed 26th February as the date competitors and teams will race around a still-to-be-seen specially constructed street circuit in the Mother City.

South Africa’s inclusion will mark the first time an international single-seater series has taken place on local shores with the last having been the final South African Grand Prix that took place at Kyalami in 1993 with four-times world champion Alain Prost emerging victories.

Apart from Cape Town, the 16 round series, which starts on the streets of the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on 28-29 January for two back-to-back rounds, will visit Mexico, Italy, Monaco, Germany, Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and South Korea with the Chinese round, scheduled after Cape Town on 19 March, still to be confirmed.

Formula E
2021/2022 Formula E calendar. Image: Jaguar Racing

The mentioned Canadian round, which will take place in Vancouver on 7 July, also rates as the second new addition with the third being back-to-back rounds in New York on 16 and 17 July. Still to be confirmed though is a host for the ninth round that fits-in between Berlin and Vancouver on 4 June.

“Cape Town is pleased to be chosen as one of the cities to participate in the Formula E tournament. The event will unlock major investment, job creation and tourism potential through identifying Cape Town as the racing destination on the African continent,” Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato said in a statement

“We look forward to working toward this event. The city has the necessary infrastructure and skills to host an event of this size and we are confident that the event will further cement Cap Town’s global reputation as the world’s leading festival and event destination.”

Ticket pricing will be announced in due course.

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