Formula E will be streamed live on Disney+ and ESPN channels from the start of the Gen4 era onwards later this year, in what the all-electric world championship is heralding as a landmark broadcasting agreement.

Disney+ is set to be the global streaming home of Formula E across 144 territories – including the UK as well as the US, where it will also be shown on ESPN+. Each practice session, qualifying session and race will be shown live. The expanded streaming offering will sit alongside Formula E’s existing broadcast partnerships.

Formula E is therefore set to reach millions of new households while "complementing its established portfolio of free-to-air and linear broadcast partners around the world, ensuring fans continue to enjoy broad access across key markets", according to the announcement made today.

That was backed up by title protagonist Jake Dennis and Cupra Kiro driver Pepe Marti appearing live on Good Morning America today - where the deal was discussed and Formula E was showcased to millions of US consumers.

Speaking exclusively to The Race on the announcement of the plans, Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds said that the announcement was “a massive sign of intent” for Formula E as it enters its fourth era with by far its fastest and most technologically advanced car ever.

“There are a small group of organisations you can talk to about doing this, and what you want is global scale, you want somebody that's going to treat your product in a way that is conducive with what we think it is and what it's going to become in the future, something super premium and super exciting,” added Dodds.

“I think from their [Disney+] side, they understand the power of sports and how important sport is becoming for appointment-to-view television. Sports is one of the only categories and genres that continues to grow year on year on year, and they've seen the power of that.”

“They understand the tailwinds we've got around technology, around innovation, around sustainability, so they're very interested in being part of a growing sport.”

Disney+ is believed to have found Formula E’s agility and flexibility as a relatively new and ambitious start-up strand of motorsport attractive.

Part of that is likely to be Formula E’s slightly maverick nature in terms of trying reasonably radical sporting formats - which have included the attack mode concept and the energy top-up PitBoost pitstops, as well as the unique qualifying structure of duels.

“I think what they've experienced with us is that we have a willingness to test and learn along with them to produce the best product we can together,” said Dodds.

Joe Earley, co-president of direct-to-consumer at Disney Entertainment, added: “Formula E combines world-class competition, groundbreaking technology, and sustainability in a way that's unlike any other sport.

“We're excited to help power the championship's next chapter on Disney+ and to give fans around the globe front row access to every adrenaline-fueled race as it happens.”

What this means

Clearly the Disney+ deal for Formula E is hugely significant - as it has been crying out for a spot on such a streaming service for many years.

Stakeholders in the world championship, including teams and manufacturers, have been yearning for such outreach for Formula E since they entered after struggling for return-on-investment in Formula E for since its inception.

Speaking to The Race earlier this year, Porsche’s head of factory motorsport Thomas Laudenbach said that broadcasting coverage for Formula E was “one of the first points that we need to improve”.

“We are talking to FEO, we are talking to Jeff [Dodds] and they're on it,” added Laudenbach.

“It’s for sure not easy, but very clear. Our home base is Germany and we want to have it available for everybody easily in Germany. It is for sure one of the core points that we would like to see at least improved in the next year.”

Formula E is rightly proud of such a significant deal. It has been cultivated across almost two years, led by Dodds, Liberty executives and in recent months by former F1 head of media rights Michaella Snoeck- who also has experience in the Olympics and in World Rugby.

Conversations between Formula E and Disney+ are understood by The Race to have begun in 2024, when CEO Dodds was introduced to Andre James, at the time Disney’s executive vice president and head of corporate strategy.

Negotiations between Liberty, Formula E and Disney+ continued as senior executives from Disney+ visited the Mexico City E-Prix in January this year and more concentrated talks began to solidify through the spring period, with a deal believed to have been outlined this May.

The head of Disney+ Japan attended the Tokyo E-Prix last month and an expansive engagement with local broadcasters has been ongoing since. Disney+ UK’s head office is less than a mile from Formula E Operations’ headquarters in Hammersmith, London, where additional meetings on the plans took place in recent months.

A full launch of the broadcasting of Formula E races, including the specifics of how Formula E will be presented via the new deal, is set to happen in the run-up to the official pre-season test at Jarama in November.

Commercial details regarding the deal between Formula E and Disney+/ESPN+ have not been disclosed by either party.