For the first time in history, Formula E has introduced two distinct race formats on the same double-header weekends across the 2026/27 season.
With the arrival of the fourth-generation GEN4 race car for Season 13, the sport is not merely upgrading its machinery — it is fundamentally reimagining how electric racing is presented, consumed, and won.
The overarching ambition as articulated by the FIA’s sporting chief for Formula E Pablo Martino is to deliver a championship framework that showcases “primarily all the capabilities of the new car.”
Here is a detailed breakdown of the four key changes that will define the GEN4 era.
New Formula E dual Race Format
The most headline-grabbing change for the GEN4 era is the introduction of a groundbreaking dual-race concept that will govern all eight double-header weekends on the 2026/27 calendar.
Rather than running two races of identical format across a double-header, teams and drivers will now be required to master two entirely different tactical disciplines within the same race weekend: The “E-Prix Unleashed” and the traditional “E-Prix.”
The E-Prix Unleashed, internally referred to as the “Performance Race” in the 2026/27 Sporting Regulations, is a 30-minute sprint race that prioritises raw speed and wheel-to-wheel drama.
The standard E-Prix, by contrast, retains the traditional 45-minute race duration that Formula E fans are accustomed to and will serve as the main event at all single-header locations as well as the feature race at double-header weekends.
E-Prix Unleashed
E-Prix Unleashed is the crown jewel of the new Formula E GEN4 race format, a 30-minute sprint race specifically designed to use the high-downforce aerodynamic configuration for maximum grip and cornering performance.
Crucially, the Attack Mode feature has been condensed to a sharp six-minute window, compared to the eight minutes available in the standard E-Prix, in an effort to maximize intensity.
Equally notable is the absence of the mandatory PitBoost stop during the E-Prix Unleashed.
Traditional E-Prix Reimagined
While the E-Prix Unleashed grabs the attention, the revised traditional E-Prix for the GEN4 era is far from a simple continuation of what came before.
It has been thoughtfully redesigned to take full advantage of the GEN4 car’s dramatically enhanced energy management capabilities and to serve as the strategic centrepiece of every race weekend.
The most significant aerodynamic change for the traditional E-Prix is the switch to the low-downforce configuration, enabling drivers to manage their battery deployment with greater precision and craft more complex tactical plans around energy harvesting and expenditure.
Attack Mode has been extended to eight minutes, compared to the six minutes in the sprint, while the mandatory PitBoost stop remains exclusive to the feature race across double-header weekends.
Qualifying Points
Another key feature in the new Formula E GEN4 race format is the expansion of the championship points structure to include the qualifying session, marking a significant departure from previous seasons.
The beloved “Duels” knockout qualifying format will continue into the GEN4 era, however, for the first time, advancement through the Duels stages will carry direct championship points.
Under the new structure, the eight drivers who advance through the Quarter and Semi Finals will receive points as follows: the driver who claims pole position earns four points, second place earns three, third and fourth earn two points each, while positions five through eight receive one point apiece.
An additional single bonus point is awarded for pole position itself, meaning a driver who storms through the bracket and takes pole can accumulate five championship points from qualifying alone.
