Gary Paffett predicts the 2026 Sanya E-Prix
CUPRA KIRO’s Racing Director, Gary Paffett, attempts to predict the 2026 Sanya E-Prix in collaboration with Duelbits…
After last appearing on the FIA Formula E World Championship calendar in 2019, the Sanya E-Prix returns this weekend as CUPRA KIRO descends upon Hainan island in the South China Sea for the 11th round of the 2025/26 season.
Tight, technical and challenging at times, Sanya represents a new challenge for most of the Formula E grid, but with rain on the horizon, the 2026 Sanya E-Prix is set to be anything but predictable.
A two-time champion in the DTM series and a former Formula E driver who contested the inaugural Sanya E-Prix in Season 5, CUPRA KIRO’s Racing Director, Gary Paffett, cuts an experienced figure in the paddock.
On the eve of the 2026 Sanya E-Prix, Gary shares his opinion on what might happen, in collaboration with Duelbits…
Turn 9 will keep us all busy
“Sanya has quite a few places where drivers can save energy, but when it comes to overtaking, Turn 9 is the corner to watch. We saw plenty of action there when Formula E first raced in Sanya, and I’d be surprised if the drivers were any more polite this time around.”
No rest for the right-hand tyres
“With eight left-hand corners, the right-hand tyres are going to have a very busy weekend. Throw in the heat and the humidity we’re anticipating, and tyre management could become a much bigger factor than drivers expect. If drivers push too hard too early, they’ll pay for it.”
Energy management will sneak up on people
“Sanya’s layout naturally offers some good opportunities to save energy, but the track conditions could easily change the picture. High ambient temperatures can impact battery efficiency which means that energy management might become a much bigger talking point than it appears on paper.”
Sanya will catch drivers out
“Sanya is quite a slow and technical circuit with a high number of combined braking zones. Studying the track map, it looks straightforward but putting together a clean lap isn’t easy. Mistakes can snowball very quickly and cost a lot of lap time.”
Rain will arrive at the worst moment
“The weather forecast suggests that there’s a chance of rain and in Sanya, that usually means an extremely heavy shower rather than a long period of drizzle. If it does rain, I think it’ll arrive at exactly the wrong time to leave a few engineers staring at the weather radar wondering what just happened.”
Want to find out how accurate Gary's predictions were? Check CUPRA KIRO's social media channels across the 2026 Sanya E-Prix to stay up to date.