Formula E

[Massa 0]

Formula E has a car, and an engine partner (Renault).

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/autosport-news/294695/formula-e-signs-renault-showcases-car/

Whether or not it really happens, we'll see. The Los Angeles government was talking about how Formula E was paying for the race, not them, which sounds a little unbelievable to me.

I know a lot of people aren't supportive of this kind of thing because they enjoy suffering from hearing loss, but I actually think it's cool to explore it. It definitely makes sense, to me, and I'm glad they are doing the trial run with a new series before introducing this to more established racing.

Yeah, engine noise is cool, but if you've heard a silent car cutting through wind while the tires squeal, that, too, is pretty cool. I'm open-minded to it. Racing has to sell. It can't rely exclusively on the niche, because that niche is going to get smaller. It's place in culture has changed as the car's place in culture has changed, and fighting change will only hold racing back from new applications.

With a new era of technology comes new experimentation, and that's cool. We have something totally new to discover, having seemingly reached such peaks in the current form of auto racing that we are reliant on other measures to spice things up. I realize that Formula E isn't going to be the "experimentation" series, but it's a vehicle to develop the technologies that can eventually work their way into something like sports car racing or even F1, where they can be part of that.

The most interesting part, of course, will be to see how fans take to it, mostly because of the noise element. I know that's sacred to a lot of people (not me, personally), so it remains to be seen if people will get over that, or if new people will come along to replace those who won't.

[Massa 0]

Here's an all-electric LMP1. A few clips of how it sounds. It's so cool.

On-board the Formula E prototype:

[Quiet One 15]

I also look forward on this series. I think it might be something really different with a bunch of diverging pathways from curent developments in motorsport series.

As for the noise, great as it is, is merely an excuse for "I fear change". Noise has changed through the ages. If noise is what define F1 then old era cars with they low exploding rumble were probably not F1 either, as they sounded nothing like the high pitched whine of nowadays cars.

When it's not the noise, its the "smell of gasoline", or "the burning of rubber". Again, merely metaphors of a small part of what makes F1 enjoyable. You can notice it is arbitrary when you think why not old leather caps instead of these souless face concealing helmets? Why big unwieldy tires instead of refined thin tires of old?

Yes, the noise is great, don't get me wrong, so is the smell of gasoline and the burning of rubber (mostly, when its Merc and RBRs doing the burning ) but if the E series are great, and will gladly sacrifice the sound. Geez, people loved the race scene in Star Wars and I bet that those sounded closer to E series than to F1.

So, conclussion: I support E series as long as they get Anakin Skywalker.

Wait...

[JHS18 0]

I'll only post this, and then leave you to it...

I honestly think that Formula E is the stupidest idea the FIA have had in a long time. And let's face it, they've had quite a few stupid ones recently...

I just find it incredibly funny that this series is supposed to be "green" and yet teams have to take two cars per driver around the world to these races, because one is incapable of completing a race distance. And this is somehow green? Right.

Electric cars aren't the future. This isn't progress, it's an expensive, pointless gimmick probably to keep environmentalists happy.

I want to see cool tech on racing cars. This weekend, an Aston Martin will attempt to complete a zero emissions lap by running on just hydrogen for qualifying for the Nurburgring 24 hours. That's the stuff I personally want to see, over some fugly looking open wheel cars that aren't really developing anything revolutionary. It has been proven time and time again that electric cars don't work. Batteries go flat quickly, then you have to spend forever and a day charging them up again.

It'd be great if Formula E was developing technology where that wasn't the case, where they could somehow prolong the range of batteries, but they're not. They still have the same problem as any other electric car has ever had. So what is the point? Are these cars relevant at all? Surely, to increase efficiency, it'd make more sense to have a sports car, a touring/GT car concept or whatever where the wheels are covered than to have a open wheel car.

Plus another open wheel formula? Great. Just what the already very confused ladder of motorsport needs. Like a hole in the head.

The other issue I have with it, is of course, the noise and speed. Two of the most important things when you attend any race.

I know we live in a strange world when 155mph is considered slow...but that's the truth. To combat that, they're running almost exclusively on street courses to make them look visually faster. Street circuits are pretty boring.

And yeah, the noise. Personally, I'm a big fan of the noise. The two Grand Prix I've attended were two of the most incredible experiences in my life so far, and a part of that is down to the noise. It's just...amazing. Heck, the noise at any race is a big part of it for me. It adds to the atmosphere. Silent racing cars don't do anything for me at all. It is taking away an important part of the experience of attending a race. It'd be like going to a football match where the crowd have to be silent. It is just fundamentally wrong, and out of place.

I've accepted diesels over time, and watching this video has certainly helped:

But yeah...Formula E just doesn't do it for me. I just feel it is the wrong concept entirely, and that the FIA are barking up the wrong tree (lol environment pun I'm so clever) and there are few forms of motorsport I claim to not be interested in (drifting is the only other one) but I'm not interested in Formula E at all.

To be brutally honest, I hope it's a flop. Because if this really IS the future of this sport I love and care so much about, then I'll need to find something else to occupy me at weekends fairly quickly.

Phew. There, I'm done.

[Massa 0]

Allen offers some details. Two car changes per race...first car for 20 minutes, second car for 20 minutes, back to the first car for 20 minutes.

The series will run September to June so it has fewer conflicts with F1.

In year two, it is planned to be opened to more manufacturers. They don't want it to stay a "spec" series.

There's some other stuff, including a bizarre video game idea that's beyond incomprehensible for those, like me, who just can't keep up with technological changes.

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2013/05/formula-e-series-targets-reverse-calendar-for-debut-season-in-2014/

Fairly interesting. It's sort of like being there in the late 1800s/early 1900s for the birth of auto racing, where all sorts of bizarre things apparently took place that don't happen now (i.e. the crowd following the race on foot, riding mechanics, etc). If this experiment lasts, we may get to see the real evolution of something before our eyes. That'd be sort of cool, right?

[The Shadow 0]

http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/454596/Williams_to_supply_Formula_E_battery_systems/

Wait... didn't Williams have one of the most spectacular KERS failure last year at Catalunya?

[Emmcee 0]

I don't know how to take this. Don't know if it will flop or not,what do you think? From the onboard footage I've seen,they seem pretty quick, who will watch it?

[Massa 0]

I think they're a bit ambitious.

The governments of host cities are saying Formula E is paying for the whole thing; no sanctioning fee.

They say that in 2015, they'll allow multiple suppliers, but I'm not convinced of that, either.

There's also some strange alternate reality game thing they want to do for fans.

I'm excited for it because it's something new and different, but I'll definitely believe it all when I see cars on the grid. I could see this one having a tougher time than it should.

[Rainmaster 7]

I think it's a worthwhile idea and an interesting and necessary development, and I hope it gets off the ground. I just won't be watching it.

[Emmcee 0]

Has this tickled anyone's intrest? I've seen some onboard footage,seem quite quick but IMO half the atmosphere at a gp is the noise. How do you think it will go?

[Quiet One 15]

The cars are here!

http://www.jamesalle...or-2014-series/

Built by Dallara, McLaren engine and batteries by Williams so it's called a Renault

I like it, and I am truly excited by this. And if they will get some F1 rejects like Senna, Alguersuari, etc then even better.

[Massa 0]

Yeah, quite the monster in terms of suppliers, but it looks pretty cool. I still love the "giant R/C car" sound.

I read that they'd like to introduce wireless charging technology at some point, that would charge the cars while they race, eliminating the cumbersome car-swap. Cool idea.

Andretti Autosport is now a confirmed team, which adds a bit of credibility. They have been very successful in IndyCar lately, and I assume their partnerships with Dallara and DHL (seen on the launched car) brought them here. Drayson Racing obviously have a large presence in the electric racing campaign, so that's a good team, too. I'm not familiar with the third team, China Racing, outside of a team with the same name that, run by Beck Motorosports, failed to attempt the Indy 500 with Ricardo Teixeira. I am not sure if that's the same China Racing, though...

The other thing off in the distance...the Bluebird GT...

http://www.thechargingpoint.com/news/Bluebird-going-back-to-its-roots-with-GTL-Formula-E.html

http://www.supercarsmania.com/bluebird-gtl-formula-e-racing-car-concept/

Pretty wild, and a nice closed cockpit experiment on top of being an electric car. Explores too future areas of the FIA.

So, the only downside? The U.S. TV deal with FOX means that I cannot see it, as I don't get those particular channels. Hopefully, the series provides a free, legal, and official stream to be truly innovative...

[Quiet One 15]

Yeah, quite the monster in terms of suppliers, but it looks pretty cool. I still love the "giant R/C car" sound.

I read that they'd like to introduce wireless charging technology at some point, that would charge the cars while they race, eliminating the cumbersome car-swap. Cool idea.

Andretti Autosport is now a confirmed team, which adds a bit of credibility. They have been very successful in IndyCar lately, and I assume their partnerships with Dallara and DHL (seen on the launched car) brought them here. Drayson Racing obviously have a large presence in the electric racing campaign, so that's a good team, too. I'm not familiar with the third team, China Racing, outside of a team with the same name that, run by Beck Motorosports, failed to attempt the Indy 500 with Ricardo Teixeira. I am not sure if that's the same China Racing, though...

The other thing off in the distance...the Bluebird GT...

http://www.thechargi...-Formula-E.html

http://www.supercars...ng-car-concept/

Pretty wild, and a nice closed c#ckpit experiment on top of being an electric car. Explores too future areas of the FIA.

So, the only downside? The U.S. TV deal with FOX means that I cannot see it, as I don't get those particular channels. Hopefully, the series provides a free, legal, and official stream to be truly innovative...

Ohh me likes it!

I like the idea of some kind of "go crazy" F1. I hope they get rid of the spec cars for 2015 and leave space for some wild designs and innovations. I agree with you that the R/C like sound is pretty cool, and the whole series look like something out of a Japanese comic. Looking forward to wireless charging technology as well.

Do you think they will also add death rays at some point? They should.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer 4]

Ohh me likes it!

Do you think they will also add death rays at some point? They should.

Only after they have fitted the shark tank under the floor of Jean Todt's office

Well I can see a market for an Ann Summers car (for non UK people, Google: Ann Summers.....) - the racey rabbit car, with batteries that go for at least 2 hours.....

[Massa 0]

Add Dragon Racing, another IndyCar team (owned by Jay Penske, son of Roger), to Formula E's grid.

Very cool. The team currently fields Sébastien Bourdais and Sebastián Saavedra in IndyCar. I kind of hope that's the lineup for Formula E: a winner in many types of cars and a young prospect with inconsistent potential and a ton of hatred from fans for replacing a popular driver. Like Maldonado, I have come to love Saavedra for the talent most people ignore, and for the unfair perceptions people have of him. It's my favorite pair in IndyCar, and as I have a bit more interest in Formula E than IndyCar, it'd be nice if Dragon shifted them over...

[Emmcee 0]

I think it will be awesome, even better once they iron out a few bugs and really get this series going. They seem quite quick to.

[Massa 0]

I've read, and it may be wrong, that electric motors accelerate quicker than "conventional" ones. Some are theorizing that the Formula E car will really launch out of the corners. That will be fun to watch.

I like this series. It's a great place to try new ideas that aren't proven enough to implement in F1. The days of teams experimenting to a great degree are over; I know a lot want them back, but it must be accepted as true. All experimentation comes from sanctioning bodies now, and it's too risky to do that in the top series. Formula E has opened the door, at a minimum, for:

1. Electric motors, obviously, and related charging technology

2. Different ways of fan involvement/engagement

3. A calendar in the traditional "off-season"

4. Closed cockpits in the future

5. Cost-capping/budget (I believe that once they move into phase two, opening chassis and engine suppliers, teams will have a spending limit)

6. Treaded tires

It's going to be a fun series. If you take racing super seriously, you won't like it, but if you take the Dave Despain approach, this might just be a great thing.

I'm relieved that my cable provider has switched things up and I now get one of the two channels that will air Formula E here, so I'll see at least some of the races.

By the way, on the calendar: I think the Punta del Este and Berlin Tempelhof circuits are going to cool. There's a lot you can do with the former, and the latter has a Cleveland/Edmonton Champ Car vibe to it, being an airport circuit. I can't wait to see the designs of these tracks...

[Massa 0]

Fan voting will be incorporated in the push-to-pass system.

I am all-for this.

It's clever. The "social media era" has people begging for involvement and interaction. Consumers are so empowered now. You have to give them something.

So, give them exactly what will help you. This gives teams an incentive to field popular drivers (and they'll need a few "names" to get this thing going), and incentive to drivers to interact with the fans. It also has the fans function as the series' marketers, assuming our Facebook timelines are soon to be flooded with "I just voted for Sébastien Bourdais, etc."

See, Formula E has no history, so it can do stuff like this. It can make whatever it wants to make a part of Formula E.

Bravo to them for applying the "Dave Despain Doctrine." Racing is fun. Take away all the romanticized stuff, take away all the essays, take away how easy it is to take things so seriously as self-rationalization of liking something a lot of the world sees as a bit odd...there's nothing there but fun. If it isn't fun, it has no point. Its practical purposes are few, and most could be replicated in some other environment. It is merely entertainment, and that does not mean there aren't ethical considerations (i.e. participant and spectator safety), nor does it mean that gimmicks are necessarily entertaining.

However, for me, this does not cross a line. Push-to-pass is inherently a gimmick, so why not use that as your way to reach the fans? I think it's brilliant.

I'm happy to have a "fun" series in a world that is filled with winding narratives about nothing at all.

You know, the kind I like to write.

[Quiet One 15]

My exact thoughts. Great post!

[Massa 0]

So, there are now six teams filling a maximum ten spots:

Andretti Autosport

China Racing

Dragon Racing

Drayson Racing

e.dams

Super Aguri

e.dams is basically a union between Prost Grand Prix and DAMS, all due to the Renault connection (Renault being the sponsor of the series).

Super Aguri returning makes this even more awesome.

[Quiet One 15]

Indeed! I can't wait, although something tells me that the only two persons in the world to watch these series will be you and me.

[F1 FANatic 1]

I am already planning to go the LA for the race. Considering it's like 2 hours away.

I love the idea for this series. I watch F1 and racing in general just as much for tech as for anything else and I have hated this stupid homoligation routine of the FIA. So hopefully they will open this series up and not just keep it spec. I also hope that someone like NBC grabs the broadcast rights in America and goes all out with it like F1.

I have always been a fan of electric drive on cars. It offers soooooo many advantages over an ICE, the problem has always been energy storage for the motor(s). I recently test drove a Tesla Model S and oh boy that is what electric cars need to be. Nissan and the other big guys really need to get their act together. Stop making sh!t-box Leafs and iMuve or whatever the Mitsubishi crap-box is called.

I really hope that Formula E gets off the ground and some day it opens up and Tesla builds a car for the series.

[Massa 0]

The U.S. broadcasts will be on FOX Sports 1 (SPEED) and FOX Sports 2 (FUEL). Not sure which will be where, but hopefully most are on FS1, simply because I have it and not FS2.

[Massa 0]

Could Brabham (David) be the next Formula E team? His nephew, Matthew (Geoff's son), is a very talented driver, too.

http://currente.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/brabham-returns/

http://www.davidbrabham.com/

http://companycheck.co.uk/company/08550710

[t_sporano 0]

I'm looking forward to Formula E.