Formula E 2024: a Guide to Season 10

Ladies and Gentlemen, here we go! Season 10 of the Formula E championship is about to begin. In just a few days we’ll be in Mexico City, ready to watch the electric cars speed around the circuits. What to expect from the tenth season? Let’s find out more in our guide! 

Formula E Season 10 calendar

New year, new calendar. In 2024, Formula E was supposed to have 17 E-Prix, the busiest schedule of its history. Supposed to.

Last January 5th, in fact, they announced the cancellation of the Hyderabad E-Prix, scheduled for February 10th. The cancellation, says the press release, came as a result of the local authorities’ decision not to respect the agreements signed just last October. Formula E Operations was left with no choice but to report the breach of contract and would be considering what actions it could take against the regional government.

Anyway, there is a lot of positive news, too.

The first is about the double header in Portland, following a trend of commitment to the American market that Formula 1 fans are very familiar with. The US represents fertile ground for motorsport, and the electric category doesn’t want to be found unprepared.

Also, there are two absolute new entries: Shanghai, with a double header in May, and Tokyo. On March 30th, for the first time ever, the Japanese capital will host a motorsport race among its streets.

Last but the least, in Italy we’ll have the Misano E-Prix as a replacement for Rome. This is a great challenge, especially since the category is moving from a city circuit, appreciated by everyone, drivers first, to a permanent one, traditionally tied to two wheels.

Driver Market and Rookies

This year’s silly season was definitely worthy of its name: out of eleven teams, only two kept last year’s line up.

However, despite all the changes, there will be only one rookie on the grid: Jehan Daruvala. Until 2023, the Indian driver raced in Formula 2, finishing 13th in the Championship.

Daruvala’s involvement in the electric category began last season, as test and reserve driver for Mahindra Racing. He made his debut in Berlin, during Rookie Test, while in Rome he took part in Rookie Free Practice. In 2024 he’ll be a driver for Maserati MSG Racing, alongside Maximilian Guenther.

There are a lot of young drivers interested in the category as an alternative to Formula 1, increasingly inaccessible. For example, Zane Maloney and Kush Maini, also committed to Formula 2, have joined Andretti and Mahindra Racing respectively, as reserve drivers.

Also, remember that for pre – season testing Formula E has made it mandatory for each team to run a rookie in their cars. Those who follow the feeder series had the chance to see some familiar faces, like the aforementioned Zane Maloney, Victor Martins and Taylor Barnard. Among others, there was also Gabriela Jilkova: the Czech driver was the first woman behind the wheel of a GEN3 car.

Attack Charge and Mandatory Pit Stops

During pre-season testing, teams were able to try out the fast charging solution, the so-called Attack Charge. It’s another news of Season 10 which will see a return of mandatory pit stops. 

The Attack Charge will be introduced during selected E-Prix, not known yet. During these races, the drivers will have to stop in the pits to recharge the car. If not, they will have a 20-second penalty plus the time for a Stop & Go added to it.

Formula E has defined how and when it will be possible to execute fast charging, and it will depend on the state of charge of the car’s battery. The specific parameters, as well as the minimum stop time, will be communicated before each E-Prix. During the Attack Charge, the cars’ wheel must remain in contact with the ground and any additional work on the car is forbidden. Also, teams cannot double stack cars in the pit lane when it comes to Attack Charge.

So, the ingredients for an action-packed and exciting Season 10 are all there. Only the cars on track are missing!