Seoul to host EV-only Formula E World Championship in 2022

South Korea’s capital Seoul will be finally hosting the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in August 2022, with BTS as the global ambassador of the event.

On June 18, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon signed a trilateral agreement with Formula E Korea and the event’s broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) to proceed with opening the Formula E World Championship, Seoul E-Prix 2022.

The world’s first fully electric racing championship was originally scheduled to run in Seoul in May 2020 but was postponed three times due to COVID-19.

The Formula E Championship's inaugural season was held in September 2014 in Beijing, and is currently operated under the sanction of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

The FIA, or the International Automobile Federation, is an international motor association established in 1904 and is best known as the governing body for auto racing events such as the Formula One World Championship.

Other than Beijing, global cities including Berlin, London, Paris and New York City have also hosted Formula E Championship races. According to reports, more than 300 million viewers globally tuned in online to at least one Formula E race during its 2017-18 season.

SEOUL E-PRIX & SEOUL FESTA SET FOR NEXT SUMMER
 
Seoul E-Prix 2022, to run in the city’s Jamsil Stadium and Olympic Expressway on Aug. 13-14 next year, will mark the final race of the Formula E 2021-22 season.

This season’s full list of events, including those held outside Korea, will be confirmed next month at the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) under the FIA.

Seoul said that there will be at least 2,000 event-related personnel including the racing drivers, auto company representatives as well as event operators visiting the city.  
 
The K-pop sensation BTS was selected last year as the global ambassador for Formula E. BTS collectively has served as Seoul city’s Honorary Tourism Ambassador since 2017.

Seoul city government said it will also be holding Seoul Festa, a tourism festival where visitors can enjoy K-pop, K-beauty and K-food offerings Aug. 10-14 of next year.

Write to Soo-jung Ha at agatha77@hankyung.com
Daniel Cho edited this article.