Formula E Preview: Shanghai E-Prix - Timings, ways to watch and more
- Vyas Ponnuri
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
Formula E stays on Chinese soil, heading into the famous Shanghai International Circuit for the Shanghai E-Prix double header. It’s set to kick off the run towards the end of the season - as well as Formula E’s Gen3 era, with just six races to go before the next set of regulations kicks in!
The wider, winding avenues of Shanghai’s road course will be a much more welcoming sight to the drivers after a race of attrition around the narrow streets of Sanya. Expect many more overtakes to be made during the weekend’s double header, with drivers taking multiple racing lines across the circuit’s corners.
However, you’d be fortunate if the rain stayed away in the Chinese round this weekend, with rain welcoming the drivers and teams in the lead-up to the Shanghai E-Prix weekend. It’s set to be a warm affair, however, much like last year’s race, the threat of a thunderstorm hitting the circuit this weekend is still high.
The top four in the championship will be focused on staying calm amid the unpredictable weather in Shanghai, and looking to make up for their torrid Sanya outings to stay in the hunt for a shot at Formula E silverware. It will certainly be interesting to see how the drivers fare in the Shanghai weekend, and if there are any more twists in the tale for the championship.
Championship standings ahead of the Shanghai E-Prix
Drivers’ standings
Mitch Evans (Jaguar) - 128 points
Oliver Rowland (Nissan) - 109 points
Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra Racing) - 103 points
Pascal Wehrlein (Porsche) - 101 points
Jake Dennis (Andretti) - 94 points
Constructors’ standings
Jaguar - 220 points
Porsche - 190 points
Mahindra Racing - 162 points
Andretti - 136 points
Nissan - 120 points
Track layout for the race weekend
Now hosting its third Formula E event, the Shanghai E-Prix has become something of a commonplace in the all-electric championship’s Asian leg. The 1.896 mi (3.051 km) long circuit shares most of its characteristics with the longer Grand Prix layout that hosts Formula One’s Chinese Grand Prix every year.
The familiar lines of the winding Turns 1 and 2 that never end always greet the drivers during the lap, with attack mode on the exit of Turn 1 creating several overtaking opportunities around the track’s braking zones and sweeping corners.
Turn 6 is one such opportunity, allowing drivers to dive down the brakes, while the sweeping Turns 7 and 8 can open up chances to pull off some daring overtakes; look no further than Taylor Barnard’s overtake on Rowland through this section last year for a prime example!
However, it’s at this section where the track diverges from its F1 counterpart, continuing ahead through the kink of Turn 9, before reaching the tricky Turns 10/11 chicane. It’s this spot which can be a prime opportunity for a last-lap pass, as Jean-Éric Vergne demonstrated for DS Penske in 2025.
But it can also be a spot for an incident, as demonstrated by Sam Bird and Nyck de Vries back in 2024, and the tight run off the chicane back onto the main straight can be a tough one to nail for the drivers.
Nevertheless, Shanghai is much more friendly towards drivers for overtaking, due to the wider track and sweeping corners that allow drivers to take multiple racing lines and pull off an overtake. The Chinese circuit made for a combined total of 410 overtakes across its inaugural double header back in 2024.
With the grid matched much more closely heading into this weekend, expect plenty of overtaking during the races, with Pit Boost to be used during Round 12 on Saturday.
Timings for the race weekend:
Friday, 03 July, 2026
Free Practice 1 - 16:00 - 16:55 local (09:00 - 09:55 BST)
Saturday, 04 July, 2026
Free practice 2 - 08:30 - 09:25 (01:30 - 02:25 BST)
Qualifying - 10:40 - 11:48 (03:40 - 04:48 BST)
Race (29 Laps) - 15:05 - 16:00 (08:05 - 09:00 BST)
Sunday, 05 July, 2026
Free practice 2 - 08:30 - 09:10 (01:30 - 02:10 BST)
Qualifying - 10:40 - 11:48 (03:40 - 04:48 BST)
Race (27 Laps) - 15:05 - 16:00 (08:05 - 09:00 BST)
Talking points ahead of the Shanghai E-Prix
The top four in the standings: Leaving the Sanya E-Prix, you’d have wondered what changed, given the top four did not score any points that weekend. It was a rare event, with the leading quartet failing to score points for the first time since the 2021 Valencia E-Prix. With just six races to go, they will all be looking to turn up the heat and give themselves the best chance of winning the title.
Dan Ticktum’s misery continues: For the sixth time in 2026, Cupra Kiro’s Dan Ticktum failed to convert a top 10 starting position into points in Sanya. It was another scruffy event for the Briton, who found himself involved in two isolated incidents and finished only 15th on the road. Time is running out for him to turn his season around, and Ticktum, the ever outspoken character, will be itching for a comeback in Shanghai.
A repeat winner in Shanghai? - Four E-Prix have been held around the Shanghai International Circuit, but have all featured different winners. Mitch Evans and António Félix da Costa took victory back in 2024 for Jaguar and Porsche, respectively, while Max Günther and Nick Cassidy won out in 2025. Will this streak remain, or do the streets of Shanghai have any of these names standing on the top step again?
Dennis back in the fight? - Andretti pulled off a stellar 38-point haul in Shanghai, with Jake Dennis taking his second race win of the season. The Briton now sits just 34 points off leader Evans with six races to go. We’ve seen Dennis pull off a comeback in Season 9 to win the title, but will he be able to replicate similar form in the final six races?
Pepe Martí’s lofty rookie highs: It’s been all shuffled around at Cupra Kiro in Season 12, with the younger rookie Pepe Martí outscoring his more established teammate Ticktum. The Spaniard pulled off a mesmeric comeback drive in Sanya, taking his best result of the season with second. Having made up a total of 71 positions in Season 12, Martí knows how to pull off a comeback drive or two, and will be chasing a maiden win in Shanghai.
Drivers to watch for the Shanghai E-Prix
Mitch Evans: It’s been a whirlwind campaign for Evans, the Jaguar man holding a steady 19-point lead with six races to go in the season. For once, he isn’t the driver chasing, and sees himself ahead this time. All eyes will be on him to see if he can leave Shanghai with the championship lead still intact.
Taylor Barnard: It’s been a torrid second season in Formula E for Barnard, a steep fall from what was a stellar rookie season back in 2025. With a best finish of fourth and only 15th in the standings, Barnard will be looking for a big turnaround in the final six races of the season to show a glimpse of his talent to the world.
Oliver Rowland: He’s second in the championship, but Rowland hasn’t scored any points apart from his six podium appearances in Season 12. Sanya would bring more of the same, as he ran in contention for a podium before his penultimate lap incident. The Nissan man will know he has to bounce back in Shanghai to keep his chances of a second consecutive championship still alive.
How to watch the Shanghai E-Prix?
You can watch this weekend’s Shanghai E-Prix live here! Check it out:
Predictions for the Shanghai E-Prix weekend
It’s set to be another exciting weekend of Formula E this weekend, with the championship fight heating up. As such, expect the top four to be on top form once again. However, I would predict a resurgent victory for Martí in the Cupra Kiro for Round 12, ahead of Evans and Mortara.
For Round 13, I would predict Cassidy to take victory once again, ahead of de Vries and Rowland this time.
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