Formula E considering a return to Canada as new GEN3 engine revolutionizes sport

Formula E's chief executive officer says that a Canadian stop on the electric car racing circuit would make a lot of sense.

Jamie Reigle, who is from Vancouver, spoke on Wednesday about the possibility of having a Canadian event as he arrived in Nice, France, ahead of Formula E's race in Monaco this weekend.

He said that the cinematic quality of certain Canadian cities would really lend themselves to the 16-round series that has races in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Berlin, Rome, and London, among other locales.

"We think about cities that are iconic, and that's a soft term, or it's a qualitative term, but when you list London, Rome, Berlin, where we raced, you want to ideally have names of cities that resonate on a global basis," Reigle said from France. "That's not to say every city we race in has that same cache, but that is a factor.

Two other qualities Formula E is looking for in its race locations are a strong sporting culture that could get out a solid spectator turnout and a direct connection to the automotive industry. Reigle said that given those requirements, there's a lot of interest in having a Formula E race in Canada.

"The factors that need to come together, that I alluded to before, all those are super positive and attractive," said Reigle. "So then the question is, can we find the right city and the right venue within that city?"

Both Montreal and Vancouver have been connected with Formula E before.

The Montreal ePrix, a pair of races held in late July 2017 at the Montreal Street Circuit, drew a total crowd of 45,000 people. Formula E has not been able to return to Montreal since that one event, however.

Vancouver was scheduled to hold a race in July 2022 but it was cancelled three months before the event.