Giorgio Veroni, the co-owner of Formula E, was in Malta last week on a flying visit where he met up with various ministers regarding the possibility of holding a Formula E race in Malta annually.

Giorgio Veroni, right, having lunch in a Valletta restaurant with his friend Peter Darmanin.

The idea of holding such an event locally was suggested to Mr Veroni by his friend Peter Darmanin, an entrepreneur who owns three top restaurants in Spinola Bay, St Julian’s.

Mr Darmanin told The Sunday Times of Malta that the ministers who met Mr Veroni, namely Roads Minister Ian Borg, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and Parliamentary Secretary for Sports Clifton Grima, were all quite “enthusiastic” about hosting a Formula E race in Malta.

Formula E is a class of motorsport that uses only electric-powered cars. The series was conceived in 2011 and the inaugural championship commenced in Beijing in September 2014. The series is currently in its fifth season. It is sanctioned by the FIA, the global organisation that promotes motor sport.

Racing takes place on temporary city-centre street circuits which are 1.9 to 3.4 km long.

Championship boasts one of the best sporting calendars in the world

Formula E has grown into a global entertainment brand and with 11 teams and 22 drivers on the grid, the Championship has become a destination for the world’s best motorsport teams and talent. With a total of nine manufacturers on board – the likes of Jaguar, Nissan, BMW, Audi, DS and Mahindra – Formula E serves as a competitive platform for global car manufacturers and mobility providers to test and develop road-relevant technologies.

The Championship boasts one of the best sporting calendars in the world, with 13 races in 12 of the world’s most progressive cities covering five continents.

A Formula E race was held yesterday in Monte Carlo; a week before one was held in Paris and before that in Rome.  Other Formula E races coming up are in Bern, Berlin, London and New York.