Formula E unveils updated London E-Prix circuit
Formula E has publicly unveiled its heavily updated version of the ExCeL Centre track configuration that will be used for the London E-Prix double-header this weekend.


The championship first revealed the layout for the partially indoor circuit back in March 2019, but along with the FIA has now modified all three sectors and shortened the lap by 1.3 miles.
An opening Turn 1 and 2 chicane has now been tightened, with the updated route beginning to double back on itself rather than stick to the originally conceived 90-degree first left-hander.
Much more extensive modifications have been made to the second sector, with the direction for the hairpins of Turns 10 and 11 reversed from anti-clockwise to clockwise.
Drivers will now enter a 180-degree right hander and exit from a left to head directly into another tight chicane rather than the previous and slightly longer angled straight that fed into the complex.
The final sector has also been majorly reworked to dispense with a higher-speed sequences of sweeping turns where the track exits the exhibition hall to connect to a perimeter road.
The lap now instead feeds into an additional hairpin at Turn 16 before a further chicane had been added prior to the run to the penultimate corner.
These alterations to the third sector have been made amid concerns that speeds would be too high.

Mechanics begin to clear the grid for the start
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
However, the addition of heavier braking zones and slowing down the pace led initial team simulations to suggest that drivers would only need to recover 10 to 5% energy to reach the finish.
This compares to the usual 30 to 35% saving that must be made in a more typical Formula E race.
Teams and drivers voiced their concerns to Autosport that a flat-out sprint race could create a stalemate in strategies and a processional race.
Others thought that the absence of needing to lift-and-coast to bank energy in the build-up to an overtake would allow drivers to dive at will to initiate a spate of crashes and safety cars.
The FIA have since responded to these concerns by deducting 4kWh from the race total each car may use, bringing down the limit from 52kWh to 48kWh to introduce a greater need to save energy.
An FIA statement supplied to Autosport read: “Following the preliminary analysis of the London circuit and the energy consumption it was noticed that the lift-off requirements would not be significant enough with a 52kWh capacity.
“As the management of the energy consumption is key to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, and to avoid flat-out races, it has been decided to reduce the total amount of available energy to 48kWh for the races of London.
The double-header this weekend, which will be broadcast live on Channel 4, marks the returns of London to the Formula E calendar after Battersea Park last featured for the 2015-16 season finale.

Andretti remains 100% committed to Formula E despite impending BMW exit
Proposed Formula E budget caps outlined for second Gen3 season

Latest news
James: Mercedes Formula E project has "added to rich heritage" in motorsport
Mercedes Formula E team principal Ian James was pleased that the squad could "play a part" in the German manufacturer's 128-year motorsport history, as it bows out from the championship.
Mortara surprised at 'ease' of building lead in Seoul E-Prix
Seoul E-Prix winner Edoardo Mortara found it "easy" to build a gap at the start of the season finale, admitting to "making life difficult" by hitting the Turn 7 wall.
Evans "gave it everything" in Formula E title shot
Formula E title runner-up Mitch Evans felt he "gave it everything" to win this year's championship, but says a lack of consistency hurt his and Jaguar's overall chances.
Vandoorne: Four-way Formula E title battle added to "beautiful story" of triumph
New Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne felt that the 2021-22 four-way title battle added "a beautiful story" to his triumph, and admitted "surprise" at his consistency this season.
Can anyone beat Stoffel Vandoorne to the Formula E title?
Stoffel Vandoorne is on the brink of the Formula E title with a commanding lead ahead of the Seoul finale, but both rivals and unknowns still stand in his way. Here’s a run through of what Vandoorne must overcome to clinch the championship and how his competition will look to pull off the biggest of shocks
How Formula E's most underrated driver is taming his Dragon
It might not look like the most glittering of Formula E campaigns, but Dragon Penske’s youngster has caught the eye of those who count despite his future remaining unclear. Regardless of the distortion, Sergio Sette Camara has a clear vision of what he’s focused on and how to get there
How Formula E's title fight gave way to Dennis and Di Grassi in the dockyards
The penultimate stop on Formula E's world tour took in London's ExCeL, where the championship contenders were upstaged by two first-time winners in 2022. Andretti’s Jake Dennis kept the home fires burning in the first race as Venturi’s Lucas di Grassi claimed the second, but two consistent finishes mean its advantage Stoffel Vandoorne heading to the Seoul finale
The ex-F1 racer turned Venturi team boss adapting to a Formula E title fight
For the second year in a row, the Venturi team is in the thick of the fight for Formula E title glory with Edoardo Mortara. That's despite a change to a more meritocratic qualifying system, which was expected to give the works Mercedes team an edge, and ex-Formula 1 racer Jerome d'Ambrosio being new in the team principal hot seat. As he tells Autosport, it's a challenge he's revelling in
Why Sims is quitting Formula E to become the master of his own destiny
Alexander Sims’ call to give up a pukka Formula E spot after four seasons in the series may have surprised some, but after laying out his reasoning and what he hopes comes next, very few onlookers can argue against his plan
How Formula E's Big Apple crunch led to Cassidy joy and heartache
Nick Cassidy hadn't enjoyed too many joyful moments in the 2021-22 Formula E campaign, but the Envision Virgin driver was the class of the field in New York - even after a sudden downpour had caused him and several others to shunt heavily out of the first race. Red flags saved his bacon on that occasion, but a 30-place penalty that cost him pole for race two due to a new battery opened the door for Antonio Felix da Costa
Mortara turns up the heat on Formula E title rivals in Marrakech scorcher
Formula E’s unplanned return to Marrakech provided teams with a fresh challenge in old but familiar surroundings, as Edoardo Mortara kept his cool in melting conditions to triumph and retake the championship lead
How Formula E's double-duty drivers influenced their Le Mans teams' fortunes
Eight Formula E drivers made the 7,000-mile sprint from the streets of Jakarta to the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe and every one had a story to share at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a range of triumphs and disappointments, each driver doubling up on the day job played a key role in their teams' fortunes