SANYA, China, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Formula E is back in Sanya after a seven-year absence and is looking towards an even bigger future in what series co-founder Alberto Longo describes as the championship's most important market.

File photo: IC

The all-electric racing series returns to the southern Chinese resort city this weekend for the first time since 2019, ending a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical setbacks that interrupted what had originally been intended as a three-year agreement.

"China is the most important market for Formula E in terms of fans," Longo told Xinhua on the eve of the race weekend.

"We have more than 138 million fans here, out of which 55 percent are female, so it's definitely the right market for Formula E to be in."

"When we left Sanya in 2019, we felt it was such an amazing location. I've been in contact with our promoter here ever since and we've always tried to put it back on the calendar. It took us a little longer than expected, but we're so pleased to be back."

Sanya's only previous Formula E race came in March 2019 and was won by France's Jean-Eric Vergne for DS Techeetah, the then-Chinese-owned team that later evolved into the current DS Penske operation.

At the time, Formula E appeared poised to establish a regular presence in the city, but the original three-year agreement never materialized.

"Unfortunately, after the first year we had issues with the venue and then COVID hit, so we had to wait another five years before restarting negotiations," Longo said.

The first ever Formula E race took place on the streets of Beijing in 2014, and China is the only country on the current calendar to host multiple rounds, with a double-header to come in Shanghai on July 4-5.

While he would not be drawn on candidate locations, Longo said Formula E would like to expand even further in China.

"We'd love to increase the number of races we do here. We'd love to have more manufacturers involved and more drivers coming from this country," he said.

"We're trying to increase our presence in China because it is the leading country in electrification and that helps us attract not only manufacturers, but many other stakeholders as well."

China's dominance in the electric vehicle sector underlines why Formula E views the country as indispensable to its future.

Industry reports confirm China accounted for 62 percent of global light-duty EV sales and more than 70 percent of global EV production in 2025, while EVs represented more than half of all new vehicle sales domestically.

Yet despite those figures, Formula E currently has no Chinese drivers, teams or manufacturers on its grid, and Longo said changing that remains a priority.

"We've been in touch with quite a few manufacturers for the last three or four years. It takes time," he said.

"There's a lot of appetite to be part of Formula E and I'm positive we'll eventually bring one or two major Chinese manufacturers into the championship."

"It will come, and sooner than people expect."

The championship is also aiming to lean into Sanya's identity as one of China's premier tourism destinations.

Longo said Formula E and Sanya share similar sustainability ambitions and estimated that around 70 percent of race attendees this weekend would travel from outside the city.

"That's exactly what Sanya is trying to do, which is why they are attracting big international sporting events," he said.

The race itself will look different from the one fans last saw in 2019.

Formula E's latest generation of cars can reach speeds approaching 350 kilometers per hour, compared with around 280 km/h seven years ago, while a revised circuit layout is designed to encourage more overtaking.

"We could see more than 200 overtakes tomorrow," Longo said.

"That style of racing is unique to Formula E. Through energy management and real overtaking, we probably offer more spectacle than any other championship."

Sanya's return also comes as Formula E prepares for another period of expansion. The series currently has a record 17-race calendar, but Longo said next season will be bigger still.

"It's going to be much bigger than it is today," he said, noting that India remains a key market for Formula E to re-enter, with additional venues also under consideration.

Rather than creating a single iconic race comparable to Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix or the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Longo said Formula E's objective is different.

"We're not trying to create one flagship event. We're trying to make every city we go to feel special," he said.