FIA Formula E Championship

Skeeter · 12 Dec 2012 at 17:30

Hopefully we might see some of the fictional tracks from Gran Turismo becoming a reality?

Glaucus · 28 Jan 2013 at 18:07

Drayson has signed upto race, the first team. They will use the standard car in 2014. But will develop their own car for 2015 season.

http://en.espnf1.com/fia/motorsport/story/98451.html

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/#/55682/formula-e-electric-racing-series-coming-in-2014-video

The FIA-sanctioned Formula E Championship will include races in Rio de Janeiro and Rome, while rounds in Berlin, Mumbai, and Shanghai are being negotiated.

Trailer

Glaucus · 11 Feb 2013 at 13:28

A good albeit long article about it

http://m.theengineer.co.uk/1015483.article?mobilesite=enabled

Some of it is way cool. You'll be able to race on a computer against these cars. Using the gps data for the simulator. I so hope that actually comes true.

leaskovski · 11 Feb 2013 at 13:47

That would be quite awesome! Just imagine whooping the actual winners butt in realtime! I wonder if they would take your timing and data and feed it back in to their system so they could show the race results and then the same result with virtual racers included!

Wowzers!!! Hold the fort! Frank is on the blower with a drive for next season!

Kerming · 11 Feb 2013 at 14:51

i can see it happening, but the f1 will always be petrol.

Varsh · 11 Feb 2013 at 18:43

Formula E is going to be fascinating to watch next year and with having a dedicated series to E-Cars it will certainly help with research towards longer life batteries and even faster charging too!

Electric cars are moving at such a slow pace that it's just not really catching on properly but if this series starts putting technology straight into the consumer cars like Formula 1 does then it will be a great thing to see happen.

Glaucus · 27 Feb 2013 at 21:25

Second team has joined up.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/105730

China Racing has become the second team to commit to the new all-electric Formula E series that the FIA is launching for 2014.

The operation is run by Yu Liu, who was also behind the Chinese national programmes in A1GP, Superleague Formula and the GT1 World Championship, and has promoted various motorsport events in China.

Liu believes Formula E will be an ideal motorsport programme for China to be identified with. His team intends to construct its own chassis in China within three years.

"Our presence in the championship will encourage millions of Chinese fans to follow the series," said Liu.

"Our experience in racing event management will contribute to a successful Formula E city race in China showcasing electric formula cars with a futuristic sound and zero-emissions.

"We also believe this is a good platform for Chinese and global EV companies to do our part to help create a sustainable planet."

Click here to read why Formula E could be motorsport's unlikely saviour

Formula E chief Alejandro Agag thinks China Racing's involvement can play a major environmental role in its home nation.

"China has enormous potential for the expansion of electric vehicles as a tool to fight pollution in cities," he said.

"We think the FIA Formula E Championship can be a powerful tool to make electric cars popular with the Chinese public, particularly the younger generations.

"Having a Chinese team with us in the Championship will be key to succeeding in that challenge."

I hope this was a rushed job and won't be their final livery

Also prize funds for first year announced

The world champion will earn two million euros ($2.61 million) and the constructors champion four million euros at the end of the first season.

And I really should get round to starting a new thread now we have confirmed races, teams and details.

To join spark & mclaren, Dallara is going to build the chassis for the first year optional cars (that I suspect everyone will use for 2014)
http://www.autocarindia.com/News/334767,new-formula-e-series-to-use-electric-f1-cars.aspx

Feb 27, 2013
Spark Racing Technology has announced a step up of its involvement in the future technology of FIA Formula E cars for the World Championship.

The company has joined forces with Italian giant Dallara to design a new monocoque chassis for an upcoming electric F1 racing car, expected to debut in 2014. This new E series of Formula racers will be solely powered by electric motors.

Frédéric Vasseur, President of Spark Racing Technology and boss of the ART Grand Prix outfit, said, “Dallara has accompanied me throughout my professional life and it is with great pleasure that Spark Racing Technology will join him and benefit from his expertise and know-how, something that will be essential for this new exciting adventure”.

Gian Paolo Dallara, the president of Dallara added, “We have been cooperating with Frédéric Vasseur for more than 20 years and with his passion and competence he brought our cars to victory in many prestigious championships."

The motorsport design and engineering company, Dallara, is well known for its extensive history in this sector of the market since its establishment by Gian Paolo Dallara over 40 years ago.

"We are confident that the combined expertise of Dallara and Spark Racing Technology will be key to achieving the demanding targets in this brand new field of motorsport.”

Guerrilla · 28 Feb 2013 at 08:20

Good to see it's gaining some momentum, fingers crossed more teams get on board and it ends up being a decent, competative series.

That Chinese livery is horrible though

Glaucus · 28 Feb 2013 at 16:25

That it is, but I think the Chinese statement is spot on to why we will see a full grid.

Duke · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:38

Taking shape nicely.

Glaucus · 8 Mar 2013 at 20:10

Preliminary 2014 Formula E calendar presented to FIA

London, Rome, Los Angeles, Miami, Beijing, Putrajaya, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.

FEH intends to organise up to 10 races in 2014, the inaugural year of the Championship. A further 2 slots will be kept free, to include 2 additional cities among those that have expressed interest.

The promoter has started working with the 8 cities included in the calendar, to discuss all the specific elements involved in hosting a street race. The objective is to finalise formal agreements with the cities on or before July 1st 2013.

The final calendar will be presented to FIA for its approval at the September 2013 World Motor Sport Council.

"We are thankful to all the cities that have expressed their willingness to host our races," said Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E Holdings. "The fact that cities from all over the world are interested in the FIA Formula E Championship is extremely heartening and shows a global commitment to clean mobility and sustainability. The provisional calendar we publish today is composed of cities in America, Europe and Asia. We look forward to also racing in Africa and Australasia from 2015 onwards.

"At the moment we are working with the 8 selected cities on the feasibility and design of the street circuits. They will all be in city centres, easily accessible by public transport, and will feature some of the most beautiful and well-known landmarks as a spectacular backdrop for the races. The fact that we will only race in city centres highlights the main message of our Championship: the electric car as a solution for mobility in cities of the future.

http://www.pitpass.com/48504-Preliminary-2014-Formula-E-calendar-presented-to-FIA

Would be great to get a London race, FEH seems to want London and Borris wants to host it, so hopefully they'll sign something soon, like Rio and Rome.

CaptainRAVE · 8 Mar 2013 at 20:26

I don't know why, but this just doesn't thrill me. I can understand why so many cities want it though.

Skeeter · 8 Mar 2013 at 22:04

If its good fast racing in exciting unusual city venues then it will overcome the electric cars stigma.

If, however, its boring slow races on dull tracks then its just doomed to fail.

Duke · 28 Mar 2013 at 17:39

Michelin to supply the tyres - http://www.fia.com/news/michelin-confirmed-official-tyre-supplier-fia-fe

Skeeter · 28 Mar 2013 at 17:43

Surely they are going to have to start confirming venues and layouts soon?

I hope they are proper city circuits, not Ryanair style city venues where they are just in some random streets 20 miles from city centres.

Glaucus · 28 Mar 2013 at 17:52

They've signed deals with two cities Rome and reo.
They are ironing out the contracts with 6 other cities. See post a few up.

Is it September they have a big singing off meeting about many aspects. Including final Callander.

And two signed teams.

Glaucus · 23 Apr 2013 at 16:21

LA becomes the third city to sign up.

http://www.formulaeholdings.com/wp-...ic-Car-Racing-to-Los-Angeles-on-Earth-Day.pdf

“We are very thankful to the Mayor and the authorities for the enthusiastic welcome they have given our Championship and are honoured to have Los Angeles on board to host Formula E and share our passion for promoting sustainable motoring,” said Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E Holdings. “Los Angeles’ iconic landmarks provide a perfect backdrop to bring to life the excitement of Formula E racing, while at the same time, inspiring people to believe in the electric vehicle for their own personal use. The LA race is also going to have a real positive impact on the City by creating many new job opportunities together with considerable amounts in visitor spending and of course a great sense of community pride.”

alx · 23 Apr 2013 at 16:52

Probably a stupid question because I haven't read the whole discussion, but why just city/street races and no 'normal' tracks? For more exposure?

Glaucus · 24 Apr 2013 at 04:44

Pretty much, easier and closer for fans, the only big formula to do this, it's just a way of helping its image and popularity in the early days.

sunama · 28 Apr 2013 at 18:41

I'm looking forward to this.

Drivers will have to change the way they drive, because of the way the power is delivered (linear). And the prospect of totally silent cars, which only make a "whoosh" sound, as they pass by, will be very interesting. For the first time in the history of mankind, we shall see land-based sports vehicles, able to do super high speeds (my belief is that in time we shall see silent cars able to hit around 200MPH), in silence, repeatedly round a race track.

A major benefit of course, will be that sports teams will develop clean energy technology, much faster than commercial car companies and with any luck, this technology will filter down, into commercial vehicles.

Eventually, I believe petrol race-cars will be usurped by electric and then (finally) hydrogen or other (as yet not uninvented) method to power vehicles.

Earlier on in this thread, somebody stated that if F1 teams were forced to move to electric power, that they would quit the F1 (FIA) series. Given that F1 teams have proved time and time again, that they are unable to agree on anything without the FIA stepping in, this is highly unlikely. F1 teams need the FIA to organise the races for them, so that those teams can focus on making a fast race car (and a winning team).

What this means is that petrol heads and dinosaurs who like to hear loud cars, which pollute the air, will have no choice but to accept the change, when the FIA deems it appropriate.

Roll on next year...