Formula E comes to Zurich in 2018
FORMULA E The efforts of the e-mobil Zurich association, the OC ePrix Zurich and Bank Julius Baer as Swiss Global Sponsor of the electric racing series are bearing fruit. The FIA World Motor Sport Council has added the Zurich race to the calendar for June 10, 2018. Sébastien Buemi and Neel Jani have reason to rejoice: They will be the first Swiss race drivers since 1955 to compete [...]
Sébastien Buemi and Neel Jani have reason to rejoice: they will be the first Swiss race drivers since 1955 to compete in a circuit race in front of their home crowd on June 10, 2018.
Buemi has been involved in the electric racing series since its beginnings and, with ten victories, is the most successful driver ever. Jani recently signed a contract with the U.S. team Dragon Racing.
At its meeting on Thursday in Paris, the FIA World Council awarded the long held free date to Zurich. The prerequisite was that the Zurich City Council approves in principle the jointly prepared application of the associations e-mobil Züri and OK ePrix Zurich and gives the green light for a Formula E race if certain conditions are met.
"We are delighted to be able to bring Formula E to Zurich," said Roger Tognella, FDP councillor, initiator and president of e-mobil Züri, and Pascal Derron, president of the OC ePrix Zurich. With the approval by the city council, an important hurdle has now been cleared.
About two years ago, the canton and the federal government gave the green light in principle. The ban on circuit racing in Switzerland, which was imposed after the catastrophe at Le Mans in June 1955, will be lifted exclusively for a Formula E race.
The Formula E race in Zurich will be extended by a fringe event under the title "More than a race". In addition to the actual race, the public will be treated to a festival with content related to electromobility.
The next step is now to bundle the existing numerous contacts with partners and sponsors in such a way that a sustainable structure can be created for the major event in Zurich. This is of great importance from an organizational and financial point of view.
"The support of the city council is central for sponsors and partners. Because without them, there would have been no race in Zurich. For this we thank the city council," explain initiator Roger Tognella and Pascal Derron from the organizing OC ePrix Zurich.
Auto Sport Schweiz, as the national sports authority, is now also being called upon. "We will be holding intensive talks over the next two months to drive the event forward. The personnel requirement for officials is enormous," reveals ASS Director Patrick Falk.
The population should be involved
A key concern is to organize the race weekend in such a way that the population can benefit as much as possible from the Formula E race and the associated events.
According to the two presidents Tognella and Derron, it is important to keep noise emissions low and the closure of streets in the city center as short as possible. This will create an event that is compatible with the city, which, in addition to the sporting event, will also combine topics such as sustainability, science, business and electromobility.
