Formula E organisers have formally cancelled the next Hyderabad E-Prix, which was initially set to take place on February 10, after talks broke down with the local authorities. Formula E requested "urgent clarification" in response to a letter from the new Telangana government, which caused last week's postponement of the event.
The decision was made not to fulfil the Host City Agreement signed on October 30, 2023, by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD), which functions under the jurisdiction of the Government of Telangana. A formal notice of breach of contract was thus required by Formula E Operations (FEO) to be sent upon MAUD. Regarding this matter, FEO is now reserving all of its rights while it assesses its position and considers possible actions under the Host City Agreement and applicable laws.
Formula E and the Government of Telangana entered into a multi-year deal that included the Hyderabad E-Prix. This event was notable because it was the only official FIA World Championship in India for 2024. Regardless of this setback, Tokyo, Shanghai, Berlin, Monaco, and London are among the other confirmed host cities on the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship schedule for Season 10. Starting with the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix on January 13, the upcoming season gets underway.
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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, Formula E, said: “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.”
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An agreement exists that a replacement location in Mexico City on January 13 will cover the cancelled race's vacancy. Due to the roughly two-month hiatus between the Diriyah races (January 26-27) and the Sao Paulo event on March 16, the calendar is reduced to 15 races.
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