Two EPrix events in the United States of America has not happened since the very first season when Long Beach and Miami shared the electric limelight. That though is highly likely to change according to Andretti team principal Roger Griffiths.
Andretti, which now races under new auspices via it TWG mothership, is known to be pushing for an event on the West Coast of the country. Around 18 months ago meetings took place with Formula E and potential Los Angeles stadium hosts, including the famed Raiders baseball franchise for a possible use of their facilities.
That ultimately came to nothing but now Phoenix is among the favourites to get a crack at being another event in the U.S alongside something in Miami for 2026.
Griffiths is confident it will happen and described the latest situation to Formula E Notebook as “close as we’ve ever been to having second race in the US.”
“It will be ideal if we could have one East Coast and one West Coast race, and I’d consider Phoenix to be on the West Coast really, as its only seven or eight hours from LA by car,” added Griffiths.
“The country is big enough. I mean, Formula One has demonstrated that it can have three races in the US. If we can have multiple races in Europe, there’s no reason why we can’t have multiple races here.
“When you look at the OEM position we need to be in China and we need to be in the US, and we need multiple races in the US, and we just have to keep pushing.”
Whereas before it was usually Andretti and Penske doing the pushing there is now the CUPRA KIRO squad which races under the American flag in deference to fresh owners, the investment firm, Forest Road Company.
“Our new ownership group (TWG) is trying to help with that,” confirms Griffiths.
“I think the KIRO guys are really trying to help with that as well. Now that we’ve got three US flag teams, I think we almost need to force the issue because it is an underdeveloped opportunity for formulary to come into this, to come into the US.”
When Will Calendar Clashes Cease?
While most believe there is only one significant clash in the present ABB FIA Formula E World Championship schedule, there are actually three.
The Interlagos WEC round has grabbed all the headlines because it will mean that Norman Nato, Nyck de Vries and possibly Sebastien Buemi will have to be replaced for the Berlin double header in July.
But actually, two others is the Homestead race next month clashing with the Long Bec Indycar race, arguably the second largest in that series of the season, and also the Tokyo ePrix double-header being congested with the Motegi Super Formula encounter on the same weekend in mid-May.
These are almost perennial frustrations in the Formula E paddock and the feeling within it is that they have to be eradicated for future seasons.
“As we saw the date (of the Homestead race) we pointed it out to Formula E, and said ‘have you realised that there’s a clash?’ And, I don’t think they had realised, but I don’t think they had too many opportunities or options to move it, so unfortunately, we’ve got what we’ve got now.
“We’re going to make the most of it, and we’re actually going to try and do something to highlight the fact that we’re racing on both sides of the US. More to come on that one.
“Obviously it’s not ideal, but we’re going to do the best job we can, and hopefully, as we look forward to season 12’s calendar (2025-26), then things like this won’t happen again.”
