Formula E has postponed the planned sta📖rt of its 2021 season which was due to get underway in Chile.

A double-header had been pencilled in for the Santiago E-Prix at the Parque O’Higgins Circuit for 16-17 January to ki⛎ck off the all-electric series’ seventh season but the event has been postponed following talks with the local authorities.

While no specific reason was given for the postponement, the recent surge of new co🅰ronavirus cases around the globe - including an outbreak of a new variant in the United Kingdom - is likely to have been a consideration behind what was already going to be a difficult logistical challenge to get equipment to South America in time for mid-J🍰anuary.

Formula E said ⛎it hopes to rearrange the Santiago round for later in the first q💫uarter of next year.

“In consultation with the Santiago municipality, the Sant🅠iago EPrix has been postponed,” Formula E confirmed in a statement.

“The races will no longer take place as a doub💜le-header on January꧂ 16th and 17th and we are working with the city to finalise dates on which to stage the races later in the first quarter of 2021.”

The postponement raises question marks over whether the next planned race in Saudi Arabia just a month later will be able to go ahead as planne🌃d.

Formula E’s 2019-2020 season was heaꦇvily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, with a total of seven rounds being cancelled before a condensed season finale featuring six races in nine days was organised in Ber🧔lin to conclude the campaign in August.

Ahead of its first season running under world championship status, Formula E conducted pre-season testing at Valencia earlier this month, with BMW Andretti’s Maximilian Gunether setting the pace on the final day of a💜ction in Spain.