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Phoenix’s plans to host Formula E in 2026 were going well until they hit a major snag. Sam Smith explains how negotiations broke down, and the new plan being hatched for a race in the city
The city of Phoenix faced a major obstacle in joining the 2025-26 Formula E calendar, but efforts are ongoing despite the setback. Brad Wright, a key figure in the project, is now targeting 2027 to finalize the plans after an interview with The Race shed light on their progress.
Phoenix missed the opportunity to make it into next season’s Formula E calendar due to failed negotiations with a neighboring jurisdiction involved in the planned circuit. Despite positive feedback from the FIA and Formula E, the city of Tempe’s last-minute decision not to host the race caused the breakdown.
The intended venue for the inaugural Phoenix race, Papago Park shared by both cities, was marred by disagreements over naming rights, road resurfacing, and other alterations, leading to a shift away from Tempe in planning the new circuits.
Brad Wright, along with the Dorsey & Whitney legal firm, has been instrumental in pushing for Phoenix to host a Formula E race, marking a return of international motorsport to Arizona’s capital after three decades. The project’s origins date back to a collaboration with Kevin Loman, a veteran in the EV and battery industry, bringing this vision to fruition.