Formula E in the Mother City. What’s the story and is it happening or not? Speculation around the event has resulted enough back and forth to last a lifetime of laps. The initial February date for 2022 was cancelled, apparently because of COVID-19.
As it stands, there’s still no set date for the race and the upgrades of the track and precinct are key to the FIA’s acceptance of the proposed route. Dates for the 2023 calendar will be confirmed “later this year”, said Formula E.
A false start?
Plans for the route upgrade still need to be signed off by the City and completed by December 2022. Construction is set to begin ‘as soon as April,’ says the site. Crucially, once work is completed, the track will be subject to approval by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.
The full international race calendar also means interested cities are aggressively lobbying to win places; Eindhoven, Marrakesh and a brace of Chinese cities are pressing hard for slots. Cape Town, however, has “Table Mountain as the backdrop and Robben Island in the foreground,” said Iain Banner of e-Movement. In addition, founder of Formula E Alberto Longo said that he’s “fallen in love with Cape Town”.
The intended track is set to meander through Cape Town’s Waterfront and Green Point district, beginning on Vlei Road in Green Point, left into Helen Suzman Boulevard, down Granger Bay Boulevard, along Mouille Point’s Beach Road and into Fritz Sonnenberg Road to the finish line. It’s predicted to be one of the fastest in the series.
Despite the drama, Banner is confident of Cape Town’s 2023 inclusion.
“The public has been crying out for an open-wheel, street-circuit race and we are now answering those cries. I have no doubt the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will garner substantial support in Cape Town and throughout South Africa,” continued Banner.
Confident as organisers may be, the race still has a lot of boxes to check. This is a developing story.
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Pictures: Supplied