Formula E is waiting for official confirmation from the German government about the availability of the Tempelhof Airport before finalizing plans for the Berlin event. The former airfield is scheduled to host the Berlin ePrix on May 21. But the race has been put in jeopardy after Berlin’s senate decided in September to turn the facility into a refugee shelter. About 2,000 refugees have found temporary housing inside the airport’s hangars. The number is expected to rise to 5,000 by March. A Formula E spokesperson told SBD Global that the series is aware of the situation and currently evaluating alternative host venues. The spokesperson said, “Formula E is committed to staging a race in Germany as a country with a burgeoning electric vehicle market and a large and continually growing fan base.” In an interview with Autosport, Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag said the series is looking at venues in Berlin, Munich and Nuremberg. The Norisring, which has been a staple on the DTM calendar since '70, could therefore host the German round of the ’15-16 Formula E season. Agag compared the track in Nuremberg to racing in Monaco or Long Beach. The spokesperson did not comment on potential venues. With less than six months until race day, the series has to move quickly to find a suitable replacement for the event. The inaugural Berlin ePrix attracted 21,000 spectators, according to organizers. Speedway Dienste GmbH, a German consultancy firm with a focus on motorsports, and Berlin-based event agency Gil und Weingärtner collaborated as local operators on the race, which took place earlier this year. SDG did not respond to a request for comment.
