Formula E handed F1 headache after 2027 calendar reveal

Formula E has been handed a major clash headache for next year, following the reveal of Formula 1's 2027 calendar.

F1 announced its 24-round calendar for next year on Wednesday morning, with the championship set to travel to 22 countries across the globe over a nine-month period from March to December.

Following its unveiling, clashes with other championships can be identified, in this case with Formula E. The all-electric series' new campaign to kickstart the exciting Gen4 regulatory cycle is currently scheduled to get underway on December 18th, 2026, a fortnight after the current F1 season ends.

Unlike most categories, Formula E's season begins in winter and ends at the end of July during the peak of summer. It will represent the category's 13th season of existence and is its longest yet, spanning 21 races in 11 countries, with eight venues holding double-headers. The calendar was revealed in June.

In total, the Formula E season will take place across 13 weekends, six of which do clash with an F1 Grand Prix. The first clash is Formula E's sixth round in São Paulo and the F1 season-opener in Bahrain in the middle of March, although it is purely a date clash due to the six-hour time difference.

São Paulo in the last two years has clashed with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, so a clash with a race in the Middle East is nothing new.

What follows is the most significant of the six clashes, as Formula E's Sanya E-Prix falls on the same weekend as the Chinese Grand Prix. It means both series will be in China at the same time.

A direct time zone clash in the same country is far from ideal for Formula E, while it also presents a financial challenge for personnel, teams and media, given that Shanghai was one of many airports used to connect to Sanya.

For the second time in three years, Formula E's Monaco double-header clashes with Miami F1, another clash where the time zone difference makes it more than doable.

The same cannot be said for Formula E's first trip to Zandvoort, which falls on the same weekend as F1's return to Portimao. Only the Friday and Saturday of both events clash, with Formula E taking place a day earlier than usual to allow extra time to head to Madrid the following weekend.

Formula E's final two events of the season in Shanghai and Tokyo also clash with F1, specifically the races in Austria and Spa-Francorchamps. Again, both are in very different time zones, although with Tokyo hosting two night races to end the campaign, it will likely begin just three hours before Belgian GP qualifying and two hours before the race in Spa.

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Formula E issue statement after six F1 clashes discovery

In total, it means that while six Formula E events clash with F1, 10 of the 21 races actually fall on the same day as the elder championship.

Most of the clashes, while frustrating, are manageable due to time zone differences, while the same cannot be said for Zandvoort and, most notably, Shanghai.

RacingNews365 reached out to Formula E for comment on the clashes, with the championship confident that China will ensure both its race in Sanya and F1's in Shanghai will be a success on the same weekend.

In a statement issued to RacingNews365, Formula E co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo said: "Developing a global motorsport calendar always brings unique logistical challenges, particularly given that the majority of both Formula E and Formula 1 races are compressed into the same six-month window.

"While calendar clashes can occur, our experience shows that as long as events take place in different time zones or adhere to different scheduling, they remain perfectly workable for fans and broadcast partners alike.

"Regarding China specifically, Formula E’s calendar was announced in June following approval by our local partner—the Chinese Auto and Moto Sport Federation (CAMF)—as well as the FIA and the World Motor Sport Council.

"We maintain a highly collaborative relationship with local authorities and partners are fully committed to supporting them to ensure our event is a resounding success. Two major world championship motorsport events taking place in the same country at the same time provides double the opportunity for fans to enjoy the pinnacle of racing, and we're looking forward to delivering a fantastic race weekend for our fans in China."