Formula E to Return to Tempelhof

Bethonie Waring · Feb 10, 2017

The Berlin ePrix will once again be held at the Tempelhof Airport after local government forced the race out of the city centre earlier this year.

The race, which is due to take place on the 10th of June, will run on a new circuit at the airport, which Formula E will announce “shortly”.

The historic airport was the backdrop for the inaugural Berlin ePrix back in season one. Abt’s Lucas Di Grassi won the race on the track, but was later disqualified due to modifications on his front wing.

When German government used the airport to house refugees, Formula E was moved to a city centre track for the season two visit to the country, but local governments argued it was too much of a burden on local residents due to traffic restrictions.

Fans who have already bought grandstand tickets for the Karl-Marx-Allee circuit will be offered an alternative at the new track, and a special pit walk, when details have been confirmed.

“Electromobility is the key to environmentally friendly transport in the cities of the 21st century, including Berlin,” said Mayor Michael Muller. “I am therefore delighted that Formula E continues to take place here. The event thrills motorsport fans and proves – in a spectacular way, in front of a special backdrop – the performance of this technology to a wide audience.”

A second German ePrix could also be on the cards if the Brussels ePrix is dropped. Organisers are currently trying to find an alternative location for the Brussels race.

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Are you happy to see the return of a Templehof Airport circuit or should Formula E stick to city centres? Let us know in the comments below!

MoerasGrizzly · Feb 10, 2017

Tempelhof was one of the most interesting tracks in the Formula E first season, and it has a really interesting history as well. Good to see it back.

Mr Whippy · Feb 10, 2017

I agree.

Having driven almost all of the current tracks (in a sim) this one really stands out. It's probably because it's not constrained by being on streets so the corners are more technically interesting.

Of course the street courses are nice to look at and interesting in their own way, but for pure hotlapping enjoyment or driving reward, this course is the top of the list.

That's the real difficulty with street courses. They seems appealing but in practice they're so constrained.

I'd actually like to see the FE calendar do more courses like Templehof. It's still very urban, quite unique and full of history, but allows better course design, and no doubt it's lots easier than hosting on-street racing!

London's race in the park was more along those lines, but obviously that was heavily constrained.

There have to be more potential venues that give the best of all worlds that Templehof appeared to get mostly right for the FE racing.

As in this case, they're able to re-host at Templehof but offer a new layout and add some variety.

I'm also a little sad when I see how much money is wasted on FE. At Putrajaya the entire central reservation area of the main straight/pits area had a beautiful patterned paved area simply tarmac'd over in the weeks leading up to the event.
It must have taken weeks to originally lay that patterned paving, but nope, over goes the tarmac in an afternoon 'because racing!'

I've no idea how much has changed afterwards, or between races, but it's just stupendous arrogance to call FE 'green' when hosted in cities, and yet they cause so much disruption and destruction.

Punta Del Este, same. Lots of re-working roads, more tarmac, in urban/pedestrianised areas between residential dwellings and the main beach? Really? The organisers seem to not care that it's a 'green' race or about green/ecological/nicer urban environments for people at all.

Templehof and London, given the venues and environments and flexibility are more 'right' for FE in my view.
Racing on roads in city centres (the whole issue for many cities to begin with, electric cars or otherwise) just seems opposed to what they could be saying.

Make cars electric, and then use them where it's convenient and people/pedestrians aren't, but still in nice city environments (parks, open areas etc)

sKeno · Feb 10, 2017

good to see the event stay in berlin, will go there again even though i liked last years circuit a lot more than tempelhof, the experience was better for spectators. hope they will change the layout or at least put the stands closer to the track.

here is a picture from my view from last year:

and here from tempelhof 2015:

alex1994128 · Feb 10, 2017

sKeno said:
good to see the event stay in berlin, will go there again even though i liked last years circuit a lot more than tempelhof, the experience was better for spectators. hope they will change the layout or at least put the stands closer to the track.

here is a picture from my view from last year:

and here from tempelhof 2015:

In Tempelhof i had exactly the same seat which was pretty good i must say!

The circuit in the city had a little bit more flair to it but i terms of how the track was designed and how much as a spectator you could see i prefered tempelhof so i will defo attend again

Enzo Fazzi · Feb 10, 2017

It's Tempelhof, not Templehof.

AndrewBo · Feb 10, 2017

@Enzo Fazzi
I've changed it to *Tempelhof* . Thank you for the *eagleeye* mate..

4 8 15 16 23 42 108 · Feb 13, 2017

What drives me mad is the increased price of 64 Euros compared to last year's 20 Euros. Three times as much! For what?
We decided to stay home for this year and hope, many more will do the same. This is way too greedy.

Mr Whippy · Feb 14, 2017

Wow that's a huge price rise.

The more disruptive the race the higher the costs I assume.

Closing a city centre vs Tempelhof is a big difference.

I read today rFpro (on their website) serve three FE teams and laser scan the tracks after they're built (must be in the last few days before a race).
The data is then processed and dumped right under the sim tyres.
The sheer cost of this process (unique each year in theory if the reason for this is to be believed (fine topology changes on heavily used roads, potholes, resurfacing, barriers changing place by inches each year etc)) suggest some teams are currently budgeting millions a year just in simming costs sans salaries I'd say.

I really hope FE doesn't get too greedy too soon.
It'll destroy the ethos of the EV movement imo, which should be about low cost entrepreneurial spirit and innovation over big corporate momentum and vested interest spending power.

I just reviewed the Montreal proposed route. Wow. That's going to be disruptive for the race weekend isn't it?
A great spectacle but it's intersecting loads of roads and residential areas.

New York on the other hand, much more sensible.
Ok it's less glamorous but I bet the city will prefer it, the drivers and teams will, and the environment will too!

At least Putrajaya and Buenos Aires etc were parkland and semi residential, but Montreal is bonkers haha!

PS, does anyone know if the layout at Tempelhof will the the same, or new?