Formula E boss: F1 "would need permission" to go fully electric

Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag says Formula One would need permission from the electric series if it were to change to a fully electric format. His comments come after Ross Brawn's claims that there was nothing to stop F1 from switching and becoming an electric series in the future.

Whether or not F1 would go fully electric in the future or not, Agag told Autosport that should F1 make the jump, it would need permission from the rival series due to exclusivity rights with the FIA to host an electric series.

"Ross said that Formula 1 could go electric in 10 years - and basically, they can't," Agag said.

"Formula E has an exclusive licence with the FIA for 25 seasons, and we've only done four.

"So the earliest Formula 1 could go electric is 2039, if we don't renew our agreement with the FIA then, but I don't see any reason why we shouldn't renew for longer.

"We have exclusivity until at least 2039 - so no electric F1 until then at least.

"If they want to talk to me then of course that's a different question - I'm always open to talk to people.

"But without talking to me there is no way they can do anything fully electric."

Agag added he was a fan of F1 and that F1 could explore the change down the line, but any imminent change would be unlikely.

"We are very big admirers of Formula 1. We are big fans and we never change that line.

"(But) it's interesting that these comments come now because Formula E has been growing so fast.

"I think that makes quite a lot of sense - after seeing how Formula E is growing I can understand that some people in Formula 1 are thinking to go full electric.

"Even Bernie (Ecclestone) himself said a few months ago that Formula 1 should go full electric.

"But what (I understand from) those comments is that basically there may be the possibility of Formula 1 going full electric, but clearly that's not possible without talking to us because we have exclusivity with the FIA.

"They could do it outside of the FIA, but then they couldn't call it Formula 1, because Formula 1 is a name that belongs to the FIA, so the whole thing is pretty sealed."