Formula E’s 11 season set for Sao Paulo start in December

São Paulo Street Circuit, Brazil, December 7

While most motor racing series at the start of December are, as the Americans like to say, ‘hunkering down for the holiday’, Formula E is already raring to go with a new season – its 11th.

The São Paulo ePrix kicks of its schedule for 2024-25, coming just a month after the Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix. No Interlagos for Formula E though; the ePrix plays out on the city’s 1.8-mile long Street Circuit, centred around the huge Oscar Niemeyer-designed Anhembi Sambadrome – a 103,000-capacity music and culture venue that forms the heart of the São Paulo Carnival in late February.

At São Paulo we’ll get a chance to witness the debut of the Gen3 Evo car, which Formula E is rather pleased about. Its acceleration, it is said, is nippier even than an F1 racer, with 0-60mph in just 1.82sec, and performance upgrades should mean the latest car should knock 2sec off the lap time at Monaco compared with the Gen3. And with a top speed of 200mph, it’s the briskest FE car since the series’ inception in 2014.

A bit of winter sun – that’ll be nice. No, December is the start of Brazil’s summer so you’ll be left with the eternal British traveller conundrum: do you wear socks with shorts?

And if your conscience is troubled by the emissions from your 11 hour 30 minute flight across the Atlantic Ocean, remember some key mitigating factors: the Gen3 Evo has an electric motor with more than 95% efficiency; it’s a net zero carbon racing car; and suppliers of battery cell minerals are selected on ethical and sustainable mining standards.

Also, you’ll want to be present to mark the return of Lola to top-level sport – absent since 2012. This much-missed British name is working with Yamaha to supply the powertrain for Abt, whose driver roster just happens to include São Paulo-born driver Lucas di Grassi. It’s all adding up.

It might not have snowed in this part of Brazil since 1975 but that’s not to say it won’t feel Christmassy. Santa Claus – aka Papai Noel – wears a fetching lightweight tropical red outfit in a more manageable silk. Silky Santa, Lola and a di Grassi home win? What a gift.

Historic Acropolis Rally

Athens/Itea, Greece, November 8-10
The final round of the European Historic Car Rally Championship takes Quattros, 037s, Renault 5 Turbos, etc, from Athens’ Acropolis to the small seaside town Itea. A weekend of Greek gravel with rather more stringent crowd safety than yesteryear.

Nascar – Cup Series Championship Race

Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona, US, November 10
The 76th NASCAR season draws to its close, which also means the end of Tony Stewart’s co-ownership of Stewart-Haas Racing and a farewell for 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr, who’s retiring from full-time racing after almost 700 Cup races. The mile-long oval will be circumnavigated 312 times.

Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie – NLS6

Nürburgring, Germany, November 16
Another season-closer, this time the Nordschleife racing series, where all races take place on a combination of the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit and the Green Hell. Touring cars to GT3s.

MotoGP – Valencia Grand Prix

Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia, Spain, November 17
If you have a ticket for the MotoGP finale, you’re in for a treat. If not, it’s too late – it’s a 150,000 sell-out. While the Ricardo Tormo has grandstands arranged so you can see the entire track, it’s also on BT Sport/TNT Sports. Expect fireworks should Spaniard Jorge Martin take his first MotoGP title.

Cadwell Park Stage Rally and Fireworks

Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, November 17
Also expect fireworks at Cadwell Park for this annual melange of pyrotechnics and incendiary rally action featuring Ford Escorts and Subaru Imprezas, right up to modern WRC Hyundai i20s. Gates open at 8am; fireworks start at 6.30pm.

More events

Nov 9 VSCC – Lakeland Trial, Lake District
Nov 17 Supercars – Adelaide 500
Nov 23 F1 – Las Vegas GP, US