Formula E insists Brands Hatch switch 'not complicated' as confirmation awaits

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has insisted that if the series raced at Brands Hatch, it would not be "complicated," with confirmation of its Gen4 UK home still to be announced.

Since July 2021, Formula E's home in the UK has been the London ExCeL Centre, which will host this year's season finale in August.

However, with the bigger, faster, and more powerful Gen4 car set to be introduced next season (a December start is expected), continuing at the exhibition centre is highly unlikely.

While Formula E would love to continue at the venue, there are serious limitations when it comes to making track layout changes to accommodate the next era of car.

Both Silverstone and Brands Hatch have been rumoured, but it is the latter that has been mentioned most often in the paddock.

Nothing is confirmed yet by Formula E as to where in the UK it will race next year; however, a decision is expected by the end of this month.

According to The Race, Formula E visited Brands Hatch last month, which is situated just three miles outside the M25 motorway, anything inside of which is typically regarded as Greater London.

Concerns have been raised over a possible layout and whether the infrastructure is up to standard for an FIA World Championship, with Dodds noting that neither the current Indy nor Grand Prix configurations are suitable without modification.

Despite this, Dodds insists that making a race happen would be very doable, should both the championship and the venue want the same outcome.

Asked what work would need doing to Brands Hatch to host Formula E, Dodds told RacingNews365 in Mexico: "So, obviously its got two layouts there. I think neither layout is perfect in their current incarnation, so there'd be work to be done. 

"But I don't think it would be that complicated. I think, with any circuit, if there's a willingness from us and a willingness from the circuit owner to make it happen, that's a pretty straightforward exercise."

A short-term fix?

What the ExCeL Centre has done for Formula E is give it a real home in the UK, with the event always being entertaining and drawing respectable turnouts.

While it was not in central London, it was the next best thing, given its easy transport links for fans. Replicating that elsewhere will be very difficult, unless the venue is within close proximity to the ExCeL.

Formula E wants to race in London, but at the same time, should the likes of Brands Hatch take on the UK host role from 2027, Dodds does not want it to be merely a short-term fix.

Discussing if the likes of Brands Hatch would be a short-term fix while a more central London venue is found, Dodds explained: "I hope not. You want to race in London, right? If you could, you'd race in London.

"The challenge with racing in London is as the cars get bigger and more powerful, the places you can race in London become more limited.

"There are locations in London that we could race, but they're very complicated, because you've got to get multiple permissions, logistics aren't easy.

"It's just complicated and expensive. So if there's a solution that isn't central London, wherever we go, my ambition would be we go there for a period of time."