Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has explained how keeping Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport Circuit on the calendar for Gen4 is possible, unlike London’s ExCeL Centre.
Tempelhof Airport, which hosted last weekend’s Berlin E-Prix double-header, is the longest-serving venue in Formula E history, having featured in all but one season since the series was founded.
Last weekend represented the 22nd and 23rd races to take place at the historic airport, with the venue holding a long-term contract with Formula E to continue hosting the championship.
While many drivers wish the circuit was longer and less simplistic, the event itself is very much a fan favourite on the calendar.
However, its future was momentarily up in the air following reports that the Norisring could be used instead for Gen4, although, according to Formula E Notebook, acquiring the necessary permits has created complications.
All signs point to Tempelhof remaining on the calendar for Gen4 in 2027, with Dodds in particular being a fan of the unique venue. A short Gen4 test also took place early on Friday morning in Berlin.
Asked if major changes are required to Berlin for Gen4, Dodds explained to RacingNews365 ahead of the double-header: “So first of all, let me give you a little bit of my view of Berlin and why the Gen4 car was obviously being technically tested, so going through a series of technical tests.
“There’s some stuff I love about Berlin, right? So I love that kind of slightly mysterious, monolithic backdrop of the hangar, so that’s cool. I like the park behind us. I love it when the sun’s shining, which doesn’t always happen in Berlin.
“I think we’ve had 21 races here on the site, because we did all the Covid races here. One of the things that’s really helpful about it is, first of all, the surface is very different to everything else.
“So it’s quite an abrasive concrete surface, which means the tyre degradation is really high. So it creates interesting types of racing and racing that is different to other tracks.”
Why Berlin can be kept
Formula E is approaching a period of significant change with the arrival of Gen4, with the performance jump making some venues either unusable — like the ExCeL Centre — or in need of changes.
Berlin falls into the latter category, with the current configuration likely requiring considerable modifications for Gen4.
The length and width of the track will need addressing, but unlike London, making the required changes is possible.
What Formula E has at Tempelhof can only be likened to a children’s car mat, with the sheer size of the concrete area making almost anything possible in relation to circuit design, width and length.
“But the other thing that’s great here is it’s just a massive expanse of concrete, so you can set it up however you want,” added Dodds.
“So unlike London, where you have the structural limitations of the ExCeL Centre — you can’t move the walls of the ExCeL Centre — here we have the flexibility to build the track almost however we want.
“So if the question is, will we stay here? The calendar comes out in June. If the question is, could we? Absolutely we could, because we can accommodate the Gen4 car here very easily.”