Formula E may make motor sport history by racing in the streets of Switzerland following the decision from the Swiss government to reduce the restrictions on motorsport to allow electric racing.
Motorsport has previously been forbidden in Switzerland with the last motor race to be held at the circuit of Bremgarten, near Bern, in 1954.
Grand Prix motor racing came to Switzerland in 1934, to the Bremgarten circuit and enjoyed two decades of speed before the 1955 Le Mans tragedy (which killed more than 80 spectators) prompted the Swiss government declared motor racing to be an unsafe sport - banning it outright. The ban has not been lifted since, and Bremgarten was then abandoned and was never used again for motor racing.
Now, after a historic decision by the Swiss Council of States to adopt a motion by MP Fathi Derder, Switzerland can welcome professional circuit motorsport back into the country.
Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, said: “We are very happy to get the opportunity to bring Formula E to Switzerland and would like to thank our Swiss partners, Bank Julius Baer and TAG Heuer, for their forceful support. Now we will work on the details of the race, including the selection of the city which will host it, with the goal to make it possible during the 2016/17 season.”
Formula E to turn the tide in Switzerland?