Motorsport fans in Cape Town are probably still dizzy from fumes of the Formula One car which raced through the streets this past weekend. (Click here to view our exclusive gallery from that event). Today the City of Cape Town’s Mayor Dan Plato and member for community safety JP Smith hosted a press briefing where they announced the possibility of bringing Formula E to Cape Town.

All-electric

If you aren’t aware, Formula E is a series for electrically powered single-seat racecars. Several automakers compete in the category, including Audi, BMW, Nissan, Mahindra and Jaguar. Cars are driven by several ex-champions from other formulae as well as many ex-Formula One pilots.

The series has been in operation for five seasons. Eleven teams, with two cars each, currently compete at 12 locations around the world. Formula E in Cape Town is an attractive proposition for the city as it does not rely on the creation of a bespoke racing facility. Races typically take place in non-traditional motorsport venues, ie street circuits, in famous cities such as Monaco, New York, Rome and Hong Kong. Cape Town could be the second city in Africa, after Morocco, to host a Formula E event.

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In the works

Cape Town Formula E Consortium has approached the city with the intention of hosting this FIA-santioned event on local soil. Cape Town has already proven its ability to host world championship motorsport events such as the FIA Rallycross Championship over the last two years.

“While we are excited to present this event to the residents of Cape Town, we have not yet taken a decision and our residents will be asked to give their input once the feasibility study hopefully confirms that we can indeed host Formula E in our beautiful city. We will follow all the stringent procedures and requirements that we have in place for events to ensure that all those who will be affected are satisfied with the process,” said Plato.

“An economic injection and the accompanying job creation opportunities for our local communities are just some of the benefits of bringing Formula E to Cape Town. The cars run on 100 percent renewable energy and having such an event here would also assist us in raising awareness and taking action against air pollution,” added Plato.