Senate forces Berlin ePrix relocation

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Berlin’s senate has decided against Formula E racing again in Karl-Marx-Allee, located near the centre of the city. The series has now the task of finding a new venue for one of the most interesting races of the calendar, which has already taken place in two different sites in the German capital.

Berlin’s senate has made the decision not to allow the ePrix to take place around the Berlin venue chosen for season two, with “unreasonable road closures and restrictions for residents and road users” appearing as the main reason why the race won’t be held in the same site, as fellow German site e-Formel.de reported.

When asked about this matter, Johannes Schneider, the Green party’s transport policy spokesman in Berlin-Mitte, expressed “Motorsport events should only be taking place on suitable race tracks.”

He also mentioned certain problems the area suffered with the ePrix in May last year: “The massive restrictions caused by the construction, the event itself and the dismantling of the barriers causes too much noise pollution, which affected all residents.”

Back in season one, the Berlin ePrix was held at the famous Tempelhof Airport, who was later used as a shelter for refugees; forcing Formula E to look for a new race venue. Karl-Marx-Allee was then chosen by the organization, with a beautiful scenario for one of the championship-defining races.

With Formula E now looking for a new place to race in the German capital, tickets are playing an important role. The sale has already started, and the series has not made any statement about the race’s future yet, leaving a huge uncertainty for fans who did buy the ticket and for the whole Formula E world.

Daniel Abt is one of three German drivers whose home ePrix will be affected, with Nick Heidfeld and Maro Engel also waiting to hear if he will race in Germany this season.

Abt, who has a strong presence on social media, took to Twitter expressing his thoughts on the latest news, labelling the senate’s decision as “embarrassing”.

Can't believe the news that Berlin voted against the Formula E race at the Straußberger Platz. Makes me feel embarrased for my country ???

— Daniel Abt (@Daniel_Abt) January 23, 2017

Andrea Perilli | e-racing.net
Additional reporting by Topher Smith

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Images courtesy of Rajan Jangda

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