100 days countdown to India’s first Formula E Race

A 100-day countdown to India's first Formula E Race, the 2023 Ace Hyderabad E-Prix to be held on February 11 next year, began with the unveiling of a Formula E car here on Friday.

According to the four-year association deal among Formula E, Government of Telangana and Ace Nxt Gen, the championship will take place in India until 2026.

Hyderabad will host Round 4 of the total 17 races for Season 9 of the championship taking place between January and July 2023. ''We are thrilled to bring the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to India for the very first time and showcase our new Gen3 car to a thriving new audience,'' Alberto Longo, Formula E Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer said in a release.

''It has been a must have destination for us for some time, and so we cannot wait to be racing in Hyderabad on the 11th February.'' The last time a major international racing event was held in the country was the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix in October 2013 at the Buddh International Circuit.

''It is an honour for us to welcome racing enthusiasts across the world for the Formula E championship in the city,'' KT Ramarao, Telangana Minister of IT, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, said. ''It is also a proud moment for us, as Hyderabad is one of the 13 world-cities where the races are scheduled. Moreover, it is also aimed at raising awareness and inspire change in sustainable practices and adopting EVs in the state.'' The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has enthralled global fans for eight seasons now, completing 100 races in 21 cities.

For the coming season, Formula E fans will see 11 teams and 22 drivers racing the new Gen3 around the most iconic cities in the world, including the Mahindra Racing Formula E team, part of the Indian-based Mahindra Group. India will also be hosting a maiden MotoGP World Championship race, labelled as 'Grand Prix of bharat' at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida with provisional dates set at September 22-24.