Hyderabad Racing Event Scrapped by Formula E; KTR Deems Congress Government's Move Regressive

Hyderabad:  The much awaited Formula E racing event, originally slated for February 10, 2024, in Hyderabad, has been officially canceled for Season 10 of the calendar year. 

Formula E Operations (FEO) announced the cancellation in response to the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD), under the Telangana government, failing to honor the Host City Agreement signed on October 30, 2023. FEO has formally notified MAUD of a breach of contract and is evaluating its position in light of this development.

Alberto Longo, Co-founder & chief championship officer, Formula E said “We are extremely disappointed for the huge motorsport fanbase in India. We know that hosting an official motorsport world championship race is an important and prestigious occasion for Hyderabad and the whole country. The President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), Akbar Ebrahim, and his team have been incredibly supportive in bringing Formula E back to Hyderabad. They share our disappointment in the decision of the Government of Telangana which means that will not happen.”

Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, emphasized the frustration of not building on the success of the inaugural race last year, which brought significant economic impact to the region. "It is deeply frustrating that we cannot build on the success of the inaugural race last year, which delivered almost 84m USD in positive economic impact to the region. We are also disappointed for our major Indian partners, particularly Mahindra and Tata Communications. Racing in Hyderabad was important to showcase the benefits of adopting electric vehicles in a market where pollution from vehicle engines has a massive impact on public health and the environment.”

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar for Season 10 still includes host cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, Berlin, Monaco, and London. The new season is set to kick off on January 13 with the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix.

Slamming the congress govt over the cancellation of Formula E event in Hyderabad, BRS working President took to social media stating that this is truly a poor and regressive decision by the Congress Government. Events like Hyderabad E-Prix enhance the brand image of our City and Country across the world. We had put in a lot of effort and time to bring Formula E-Prix for the first time to India.

In a world where Sustainability has become the focus and Buzzword, KCR Govt had taken the initiative to use the Formula E Race as an occasion to also conduct a weeklong EV Summit attracting EV enthusiasts, Manufacturers and Startups to showcase Hyderabad as an attractive investment destination. We had also launched the Telangana Mobility Valley to promote the state as the epicentre for Sustainable Mobility Solutions, KTR added.