DUBAI: Formula E has confirmed the full calendar for Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with Italy’s Misano World Circuit hosting a Formula E race for the first time, and Portland expanding to a double-header weekend to create a 17-race season, the biggest calendar to date.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the addition of Misano to the Formula E schedule, making it the third new venue alongside Tokyo and Shanghai.

Formula E will now complete a 17-race season for the first time as it celebrates its 10th season as the pioneering all-electric motorsport world championship.

The Misano track is located close to the Rimini beach resort in the historic Emilia-Romagna region on the northern Adriatic coast. It is a popular venue in the MotoGP World Championship and the home circuit of legendary rider Valentino Rossi. Formula E will race at Misano on Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14.

Italian Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, and President of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini, welcomed Formula E co-founder and chief championship officer, Alberto Longo, to formally announce their official host venue status.

Abodi said: “Formula E is a great opportunity for our country and after many wonderful years in Rome, the next Italian E-Prix will be held in Misano in 2024.

“It is important that Italy welcomes this event that promotes sustainable mobility and has an extraordinary charm. Motorsport holds a special place in the heart of Italians, and we have learned to appreciate these new cars that bring hope for the future and deliver a legacy of cutting-edge technology.”

The debut race at the Portland International Raceway last season was seen as an experiment for Formula E, offering a wide, open track compared to the compact street circuits that remain the hallmark of Formula E racing.

The race was hailed a success by fans, race teams, and organizers alike as tickets sold out and the 22 drivers were able to showcase the potential of their revolutionary GEN3 race cars in a completely new environment, delivering a record-breaking 403 passes in the 32-lap race.

Next season, Portland will host a double-header on Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, the penultimate race weekend of the season before the London finale on Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21.

Longo said: “We are excited to race at the historic Misano track for the first time and introduce the huge local motorsport fanbase to Formula E’s uniquely competitive racing.

“Everyone associated with the track and region has been incredibly enthusiastic in welcoming Formula E to the area, and I would like to thank them for their support.

“The same message goes to the local promoter and officials in Portland, we cannot wait to return for a full weekend of racing and entertainment in the City of Roses.”

Jeff Dodds, Formula E CEO, said: “Formula E delivers street racing better than anyone, and our final Season 10 calendar presents the ultimate challenge for teams and drivers in the second year of the GEN3 race car with the perfect blend of iconic street circuits and established tracks.

“Misano will be a great new experience for everyone, while the additional race in Portland signifies our ongoing commitment to the US market alongside the potential for growth in the region.”

Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins in Mexico City on Saturday, Jan. 13 with races in Diriyah, Hyderabad, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Misano, Monaco, Berlin, Shanghai, Portland, and London.

Formula E will make history next year as the first motorsport world championship to race in Tokyo, on roads around the Tokyo Big Sight convention center on the Tokyo Bay waterfront.

Formula E and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have been working together to bring the race to the city to support the Zero Emission Vehicle initiative, part of the Zero Emission Tokyo strategy. The city has a climate action plan that aims to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

Formula E will also race for the first time in Shanghai at the Shanghai International Circuit with a double-header of races on Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26. The first-ever Formula E race was held in Beijing on Sept. 13, 2014, with Sanya and Hong Kong also hosting a total of seven races in China to date, the most recent in March 2019.