Aditya ChaudhuriFormula E has announced that the 2024 Hyderabad E-Prix, which was scheduled for February 10, has been cancelled.
Formula E has stated that the decision to cancel the race has come after a “decision [taken] by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD), under the control of the Government of Telangana, not to fulfil the Host City Agreement signed on 30 October 2023.”
The MAUD decision left Formula E “with no choice other than to formally give notice to MAUD that it is in breach of contract.” Senior Formula E executives were in talks with the Government of Telangana following the elections last month to get the race going, but it seems like the talks fell through.
The 2023 Hyderabad E-Prix returned almost US$84 million in positive economic impact to the region, as stated by the organisers. India’s only Formula E race was set to return this year as part of a multi-year partnership agreement between Formula E and the Government of Telangana.
KT Rama Rao, former IT & Industries minister of Telangana, took to X, the social media platform formerly known as “Twitter”, to publicly express his disappointment and called out the Congress government.
Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said:
“We are extremely disappointed for the huge motorsport fanbase in India. We know that hosting an official motorsport world championship race is an important and prestigious occasion for Hyderabad and the whole country. The President of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), Akbar Ebrahim, and his team have been incredibly supportive in bringing Formula E back to Hyderabad. They share our disappointment in the decision of the Government of Telangana which means that will not happen.“
Jeff Dodds, CEO, Formula E, added:
“It is deeply frustrating that we cannot build on the success of the inaugural race last year, which delivered almost 84m USD in positive economic impact to the region. We are also disappointed for our major Indian partners, particularly Mahindra and Tata Communications. Racing in Hyderabad was important to showcase the benefits of adopting electric vehicles in a market where pollution from vehicle engines has a massive impact on public health and the environment.“
