Adelaide could switch to FE
The future of the Adelaide street circuit has unexpectedly become a political bargaining chip in a battle between private businesses and local election candidates.
Despite holding a contract with Australian Supercars for 2021, the South Australian Tourism Commission has pulled the famous Adelaide 500 race from next year’s calendar on the grounds of falling fan attendance in addition to the impact posed by COVID-19, which meant an “inability to recoup costs”.
But Autosport understands that Adelaide’s absence from the Supercars calendar could pave the way for Formula E to host its first event in the country, which would use elements of the former Australian Grand Prix venue.
FE co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo told Autosport: “Australia is a market that is showing considerable interest in e-mobility, with [electric vehicle] sales tripling in the last year alone. We are in discussion with multiple cities around the world and across Australasia to host future events – including Adelaide, which has great motorsport heritage and a tech hub for the future – but our priority remains the safe and successful running of the upcoming season.”
A potential FE race follows a submission by Business South Australia, backed by significant private sector interest, to the state government to host the series in a bid to drive economic recovery and showcase the state on a global level.
Business SA chief executive Martin Haese, the former lord mayor of Adelaide, said: “Forget Formula 1, Formula E is the future. It’s motorsport, technology, renewable energy and an exciting street party all rolled into one and South Australia is the only state in the country that ticks all the boxes.”
The Adelaide 500 could yet return to the Supercars calendar now that
South Australia’s opposition leader Peter Malinauskas has signed a deal with the series to reinstate the race if the Australian Labor Party wins the next state election. Amid a wave of social media backlash against the 500’s cancellation, Malinauskas flew to Sydney to meet Supercars boss Sean Seamer, signing a memorandum of understanding to bring the race back in 2023 if elected.