This year, Formula E is set to return to Sanya Circuit for the first time since 2019, when it was introduced during the fifth season of the all-electric championship.
The Chinese circuit, located in the Hainan province, is now back for the 2025-2026 season as a “new entry” in the calendar.
The Return of a Forgotten E-Prix
The Sanya E-Prix first debuted in 2018, with the Haitang Bay Circuit hosting the event as a temporary street circuit. Plans were made for the track to rejoin during the 2020 season, but were ultimately cancelled after COVID-19 struck.
The track, which measures 2.236 km and features 11 corners, runs anticlockwise, and remains largely unchanged as it re-enters the world of Formula E. However, Formula E now arrives in Sanya with a very different landscape. Since the championship last raced here, it has introduced faster Gen3 cars, new manufacturers have joined the grid, and competition has grown tighter than ever. The Gen4 era will begin next season, and Sanya could soon welcome an entirely new generation of Formula E machinery.
Sanya: One of the Championship’s Biggest Unknowns
Sanya’s race could represent one of the championship’s biggest unknowns. Since many drivers were not part of the series roster in 2019, they could face a disadvantage compared to older drivers who competed in the circuit’s only previous Formula E race.
For example, Jean-Éric Vergne may once again emerge as one of the strongest contenders around the streets of Sanya, particularly considering his victory at the circuit during the Season 5 E-Prix back in 2019. The French driver has notoriously performed well on technical street layouts such as Sanya, and his previous success could give him an important advantage heading into the weekend.
At the same time, Oliver Rowland will also aim to replicate the impressive form he showed during Formula E’s last visit to Sanya, where he secured a second-place finish after a highly competitive race.
With both drivers having already demonstrated strong pace at the circuit in the past, they could once again find themselves fighting near the front of the field as Formula E returns to China after so many years away.
That advantage, however, does not apply to drivers such as Nico Müller. In fact, Sanya will be a new experience for many, as only a handful of current competitors raced there back in 2019. This means that teams will have to rely heavily on simulator work and limited historical data in order to prepare for the weekend. Combined with the circuit’s narrow layout and heavy braking zones, the race could quickly become one of the most unpredictable events on the calendar.
Will Sanya be back for good, and will it be a deciding moment for the championship? Who will come out on top this time around?
Feature Image Credit: Formula E
Edited by Reo Lane.
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