A raft of changes have been adopted for the Gen4 era of Formula E, with key amendments coming in so-called ‘Manipulation of Competition’ matters, the overall lengths of races and testing allocations.
Formula E Notebook can reveal that a new article – Article 3.1 of the 2026-2027 FIA Formula E World Championship general provisions – details specific prohibition of synchronisation within a manufacturer and customer dynamic to influence the results of races.
The FIA has looked in to the possibility of manufacturers attempting specific orchestrations in Gen4 after similar schemes have occurred in Gen3.
Porsche is known to have looked at several possibilities of managing races with its customer team over the last three and a half season with Andretti and the CUPRA Kiro squad.
Equally, Jaguar and Envision have occasionally worked closely together on some sporting situations, although there has never been an overt directive that has been picked up on.
The addition of the specific article dictates that ‘pursuant to Appendix M (Manipulation of Competition) to the FIA International Sporting Code, any concerted instruction or agreement between Competitors entered under the same Manufacturer that interferes with race action or is intended to influence the result of a race is prohibited.’
The sanction for being found guilty of such tactics will be ‘subject to disciplinary measures and/or sporting penalties in accordance with the applicable FIA regulations.’
The Gen4 grid is expected to include 24 cars for the new season, which will begin at Jeddah in mid-December. Porsche is expected to release details soon of its second team, while the Penske operation is firming up its programme which is expected to be in conjunction with one of the six manufacturers as a customer entity.
Applications to compete in the first Gen4 season must be submitted to the Formula E Operations by 14 September 2026 at the latest. The FIA will then publish the list of selected Competitors ‘on or before 18 September 2026.’
The FIA will publish the season entry list, including the names of the nominated drivers, no later than 15 November 2026, the day before the pre-season test at Jarama is due to begin.
Added detail on Gen4 races
Formula E announced yesterday the introduction of the EPrixUnleashed brand of racing which will see the Gen4 cars exploit its enhanced performance.
From a regulatory standpoint these races are known as ‘Performance Races’ and be held to a maximum of 45-minutes in duration, although they will be laid out as lap races over a specified distance.
The new sporting regulations for the 2026-27 season outline that ‘should forty-five (45) minutes elapse before the scheduled race distance, plus the “Added Laps”, has been completed, the leader will be shown the end-of-race signal when they cross the control line (the Line) at the end of the lap following the lap in which the forty-five (45) minutes period ended, provided this does not result in the scheduled number of laps being exceeded.
The only exceptions to that structure will come if there is a race suspension. The regs state that ‘the length of the suspension will be added to this period up to a maximum total race time of seventy-five (75) minutes plus one lap, provided this does not result in the scheduled number of laps being exceeded.
For the ‘Efficiency Races’ or the normal EPrix race that will include just one attack mode allocation and the PitBoost stop, the regs say that ‘should seventy-five (75) minutes elapse before the scheduled race distance, plus the “Added Laps”, has been completed, the leader will be shown the end-of-race signal when he crosses they cross the control line (the Line) at the end of the lap following the lap in which the seventy-five (75) minutes period ended, provided this does not result in the scheduled number of laps being exceeded.’
Three strikes and out
Driver discipline has come under recent scrutiny in Formula E once again, but for the Gen4 era drivers face grid penalties if they receive three reprimands, as per (Article 9.3.h) of the sporting regs.
The detail includes ‘in the same Championship season shall, upon the imposition of the third (reprimand), (the driver will) be given a ten (10) grid position penalty for the next race in which the driver participates. The 10 grid place penalty will only be imposed if at least 2 of the reprimands were imposed for a driving infringement.’
Test Tweaks
Teams will have their testing time limited between 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027 to eight days of testing divided in six. There will also be ) six Promotional Events allowed in that period.
The running time per test day is ‘12 hours of track operation, defined as 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. local time at the nominated date and venue. The time limit is ‘defined as a maximum of 13 hours of track operation from a defined start time,.’
It is mandatory and under the ‘competitor’s responsibility to upload the BMS data to the Battery FIA designated supplier server at the conclusion of each nominated test day.’
