VALENCIA, Spain. Thurs. 23 October. 2025 - The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship prepares for the exciting start to Season 12, beginning with the Official Pre-Season Test in Valencia, Spain. Over eight test sessions, the ten teams will hit the track as part of their preparation for the season ahead. This will include, for the first time, two sessions solely dedicated to the Women’s Test - double the time of last year - which returns following a successful debut in 2024.

Formula E returns to Valencia for the first time since 2023, following the devastating floods that struck the region in 2024. Valencia has been integral to the championship since 2017, and holds a special place in the organisation’s heart. As part of Formula E’s support, the series has led efforts to raise over €50,000 to help aid local relief.

Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said:

"“We’re delighted to be back in Valencia for Season 12 pre-season testing. Spain is my home country, and so I was especially heartbroken by the devastation that hit Valencia last year. Hearing stories of loss - homes, businesses and even basic means of travel - were truly upsetting. I'm incredibly proud that Formula E supported vital work in restoring mobility to those in need and we continue to support the regions’ recovery efforts. This marks the first of two Spanish stops on our calendar this season, as we take Formula E racing to the Spanish capital for the very first time. Bringing Formula E to Madrid is a natural evolution — blending the nation’s rich motorsport heritage with the energy, innovation, and passion that define both Madrid and Formula E. It will be a landmark moment for our series and for fans across Spain.”

As Season 12 approaches, there is plenty to get to grips with, including several driver market shuffles, sporting and calendar updates and a new team welcomed to the grid - Citroën Racing. Here is your comprehensive guide to everything you need to know ahead of the Season 12 test, which takes place on 27 - 31 October 2025.

WHAT’S NEW FOR SEASON 12?

. Following the FIA World Motorsport Council (WMSC) Meeting on Thursday 16 October, several updates have been made to the championship.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will return to the vibrant coastal city of Sanya for the first time since Season 5, joining Shanghai on the Season 12 calendar and marking Formula E’s largest and most expansive calendar to date - 17 races across 11 venues.

Season 12 plays host to two races in China, reinforcing its importance as a strategic and historic market for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The Sanya street circuit promises a unique challenge and spectacular tropical backdrop for the championship’s expansion in China.

In sporting updates, there have been changes made to Formula E’s popular Qualifying format and ATTACK MODE. In Qualifying, the Group stages have been reduced to 10 minutes each, with revised duel timings - creating a faster, more competitive and viewer-friendly format that fits within an hour.

Meanwhile, ATTACK MODE has been adjusted to keep racing unpredictable. PIT BOOST races will have the option to feature one ATTACK MODE, while non-PIT BOOST races retain two activations. The obligation to complete the total ATTACK MODE time has been removed.

A major milestone has been made in Formula E’s financial regulations - maternity and paternity pay are now excluded from the cost cap.

This ensures that teams can fully support their people through key life events without compromising competitiveness or financial fairness - a significant step forward for Formula E and the FIA’s Women’s Strategy and wider inclusivity goals. Finally, the Rookie Free Practice session will take place as part of the 2026 Miami E-Prix, and the Rookie Collective Test will take place after the 2026 Madrid E-Prix. These sessions allow teams to give meaningful opportunities to the next generation of driver talent.

THE RETURN OF FORMULA E’S WOMEN’S TEST

Following a successful world-first debut as part of the Season 11 Official Pre-Season Test, Formula E’s Women’s Test will make its return, with double the track time available for elite women drivers than last year, and all 10 Formula E teams taking part.

Each driver will run the current GEN3 Evo car, as raced by official Formula E drivers and supported by the same team infrastructure. The initiative underscores ABB Formula E’s and the FIA’s long-term commitment to accelerating diversity and equality in motorsport, from grassroots to the highest level.

Each team is required to field at least one woman driver for the full-day session, with the option to enter two - all competing in current-season cars. The test attracts the very best talent from across world motorsport. Last season’s inaugural test created meaningful pathways, with five women going on to secure team roles, with three moving into permanent ongoing positions with Formula E outfits.

See below for the full line-up of the 14 names hitting the track in GEN3 Evo machinery:

TEAM DRIVERS

Andretti Formula E Team Nerea Marti
DS PENSKE Lindsay Brewer and Jessica Edgar
Envision Racing Alice Powell and Ella Lloyd
Jaguar TCS Racing Jamie Chadwick and Juju Noda
CUPRA Kiro Bianca Bustamante
Lola Yamaha ABT Marta Garcia
Mahindra Racing Chloe Chambers
Citroën Racing Tatiana Calderon
Nissan Formula E Abbi Pulling
Porsche Formula E Team Gabriela Jilkova and Janina Schall

Follow the action as it unfolds by tuning into Formula E’s social media channels, website, and app for live updates throughout the day.

DRIVER MARKET MOVEMENT

In the off-season, there have been some big driver market moves, reshaping the grid for Season 12.

The newly-formed Citroën Racing has joined the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, signing Nick Cassidy and Jean-Éric Vergne, who have moved from Jaguar TCS Racing and DS PENSKE respectively. Replacing Vergne at DS PENSKE is Taylor Barnard, following a record-breaking rookie season, who will compete alongside Maximilian Günther.

2022 Formula 2 Champion Felipe Drugovich has joined Jake Dennis at Andretti Formula E, while Joel Eriksson joins Sebastien Buemi at Envision Racing and Norman Nato returns to Nissan Formula E Team alongside the reigning 2024/25 ABB FIA Formula E World Champion Oliver Rowland.

2019/20 Formula E World Champion Antonio Felix Da Costa joins Mitch Evans at Jaguar TCS Racing, while current Formula 2 driver Josep Maria Martí will compete for CUPRA Kiro alongside Dan Ticktum.

FORMULA E’S BIGGEST CALENDAR TO DATE

Following testing, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Season 12 kicks off on Saturday 6 December 2025 in São Paulo, as the Brazilian city hosts the season-opener for the second time.

Following Brazil, the series will head to Mexico City for one of the calendar's most popular events at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Saturday 10 January 2026. Next, Formula E will return to Miami, but this time at a new venue, the Miami International Autodrome located at the Hard Rock Stadium. This venue played host to EVO Sessions earlier this year and will see its first championship race on Saturday 31 January 2026.

The first double-header of Season 12 will take place in Jeddah on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 February 2026, following a successful debut in Season 11, followed by a brand-new race in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday 21 March 2026 at the Circuito de Madrid-Jarama, the same track that hosted the pre-season tests last year. This season will be the first time that the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has ever raced in the Spanish capital.

This kicks off the European leg of the season, which follows with a double-header event in Berlin on Saturday 2 May and Sunday 3 May 2026, followed by a return to the iconic principality of Monaco on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May 2026. The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has raced on the full iteration of the iconic circuit since Season 7, with the first double-header event taking place in Season 11.

The series will then return to Sanya for the first time since Season 5 for a race on Saturday 20 June 2026, before a double-header event in Shanghai on Saturday, 4 and Sunday 5 July 2026. The Asian leg of Season 12 will round off with a return to Tokyo for the third time for races on Saturday 15 and Sunday 26 July 2026.

Finally, Season 12 will conclude with the London E-Prix, on Saturday 15 and Sunday, 16 August 2026, which has hosted the Formula E season finale since Season 9, wrapping up what promises to be an exhilarating season of electric racing.

HOW TO FOLLOW PRE-SEASON TESTING

Fans can keep up-to-date with Formula E’s social media channels, website and app, which will provide session reports, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights from trackside during the four-day event.

More information can be found here: https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/ways-to-watch