Formula E grand prix in Bournemouth will 'open door' for Dorset

Tony Williams, of Wessex Entrepreneurs, said they are currently configuring what a Formula E track in Bournemouth could look like, with help from professional racer Sam Bird and Lisa Dent from Breakthrough Events.

“The original track plan is in the background because electric cars need hills so that when they brake going down the regenerative action of the brake pumps power the batteries,” Mr Williams said.

• Business leaders want to bring an eGrand Prix to Bournemouth

“We are selling it as a British Monaco. The only way you can protect jobs is to have a vibrant local economy which is where the eGrand Prix focuses itself, it will be a centre for sustainability.

“The eGrand Prix is the thing that opens the door to a world that Dorset needs to be in and be active in.

“The county has been in decline for the last few years, we are trying to make the quantum leap back, using Bournemouth as the gateway and Formula E as the flag to wave to the world and to help rejuvenate the rest of Dorset.

“It will require the public sector and the private sector working together in the same room, that has never been done before.”

The event, if approved will include a two-day race weekend as well as a week-long festival, hosted in June every year between 2023 and 2026.

However, Mr Williams said the town was up against other large cities in bidding for the event.

He said: “We have to compete with Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, we will be the underdog.

“That is the way we have been selling it to Formula E, we are the underdog that can bark loudly and we can hold a great eGrand Prix.”

The original track route goes past Royal Bath Hotel, West Cliff Road, Durley roundabout, Durley Chine Road, joins the Wessex Way, leaving at the St Pauls roundabout, on to St Pauls Road and St Swithuns Road, rejoining Christchurch Road and completing the circuit.

Sam Bird, Formula E driver for Jaguar, and from Poole, said: “I think Bournemouth has every opportunity to put on a fantastic spectacle with Formula E.

“We have got the infrastructure required. Bournemouth has everything to make it happen, it is now getting it over the line.

“I have seen the first initial draft of the track, I need to walk it to understand it a bit more.

“It looks like it has everything, high speed corners, chicanes, overtaking opportunities. London is supposedly my home race, there would be no home race like racing in Bournemouth.

“It’s early days and a lot of things need to happen but it’s very exciting.”

Councillor Philip Broadhead, BCP Council portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “It seems there is serious interest in expanding the race programme to places like Bournemouth.

“It is a private initiative driving this forward which we support in principle. We have engaged with them and we are giving them as much support as we can.

“It is a competitive system of where Formula E goes but the indications are positive, they are really interested in that city by the sea type offering.

“It is something we are interested in, we are always interested in things that bring investment into the area.”