Buemi's patience for Formula E/FIA WEC date clashes wearing thin

Sebastien Buemi has admitted that continued clashes between Formula E and the FIA World Endurance Championship could hinder his chances of remaining in the all-electric series in future.

Calendar clashes between Formula E and the world’s premier sports car racing series have been commonplace ever since the third season of Formula E, when the fourth round of the season in Mexico City round clashed with WEC’s prologue test, then the double-header in New York clashed with WEC’s race at the Nurburgring.

The clashes have affected many over the years, including current drivers in both series Buemi, Jean-Eric Vergne, Nyck de Vries, Norman Nato, and Stoffel Vandoorne, Buemi said following the recent Monaco E-Prix that if it continues, he may need to start choosing one over the other.

“I’m competing in a different championship as well, and at some point that will be down to the FIA and Formula E, what they want to do,” he said. “If they want to clash with other championships, then at some point you have to make a decision. And I think everyone’s selfish enough to make the right decision for themselves.”

While the clash has been seen as unavoidable by series organizers, Buemi feels that it could be avoided.

“I still strongly believe that when you have 11 weekends, and you have set your championship by more than four or five months, you should, still manage to not have clashes, but who knows,” he said. “I guess in a few months time we know whether it’s realistic to continue to do both championship or if it’s not.”

This year Formula E’s Berlin double-header coincides with WEC’s 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, with Buemi, de Vries, and Nato, and all expected to choose the latter.

One driver who has chosen Formula E, however, is Buemi’s Envision Racing teammate Robin Frijns, who is racing for BMW M Team WRT in WEC, but is prioritizing Formula E. Vergne and Vandoorne – who race for Peugeot in WEC and sister brands DS and Maserati in Formula E respectively – are both expected to race in Berlin as well, as they did last year when Berlin clashed with WEC’s race at Spa-Francorchamps.

With last year’s clash being focused on the European continent and the Spa race happening on Saturday, the drivers that raced in the six hour sports car race flew to Berlin for the Sunday. But while two races took place in the German capital – as they will again this year – FIA rules stipulate that a double-header weekend, while counting as two individual championship rounds, is classed as one event, so they were unable to participate in the second half of the weekend despite being present, thus missing two rounds.

Replacements for Buemi, de Vries (Mahindra), and Nato (Nissan) are expected to be announced in due course. Nissan’s reserve driver Sergio Sette Camara, who last raced in Formula E last season for ERT (now Cupra Kiro) is expected to take Nato’s spot.