Formula E has been dealt a hammer blow just as it's about to celebrate its new-found FIA World Championship status. Two premium automotive manufacturers that are recognised the world over, ones which are aggressively pushing electric road cars, will both exit stage left. The all-electric championship is no longer the electric championship that's right for them.
Individually, Audi and then BMW's decision to quit FE at the close of the forthcoming 2020-21 season are seismic. But together - the official announcements coming in two days of one another - it's inflicted a far bigger hit. Not a fatal one, but the championship has been knocked heavily.
In the inaugural FE season in 2014-15, you'd have been required to write a cheque for around £8million to cover costs of running your team and to be competitive. At a pinch, £10m. The best part of six years later, it'll take a cash withdrawal four times the size. That's a rather steep escalation.