Formula E

**Whyzars** · 19th September 2014, 19:42

Watched it on YouTube and fast forwarded through quite a bit. The camera production made it difficult to watch at times. This is screaming out to be included in the F1 calendar.

Firstly, this is not the future.

Secondly, the cars didn't seem to be equal even though they obviously must be. Driver performance maybe?

I'm still trying to work out why Heidfeld closed the gap on that last straight when he wasn't seeming to make any headway previously. Nice move by Prost jnr on a narrow and dicey track. I'm surprised Heidfeld didn't punch and kick him...

My thoughts:

Lose the safety car and just stop them on the grid.

Lose the parade lap. They don't use tyre warmers and go straight out cold from the pits after the car change so why bother with that first lap crawl?

Lose the car change. Its just silly. A battery swap I could understand but I guess they'd spill too much steaming hot coolant so pass on that idea. A car swap with minimum times and stop watches is just trying too hard in my view. They'd be better served having the second car actually starting on the grid.

It all looks good but I fear the enthusiasm won't last.

2 x 5 lap races incorporated into the Saturday and Sunday Formula 1 race weekends would be quite a novelty and allow Formula E to grow its profile and establish some form of race cred. That driver stable would actually have F1 fans asking for their autographs so it makes sense to have them participate in the F1 weekends.

If they continue to go it alone I think it will have a loyal fan base of friends and family. The cars will always sound like a failing bearing and, realistically, who would pay to listen to that more than once?

**jens** · 20th September 2014, 11:39

Originally Posted by Whyzars

Secondly, the cars didn't seem to be equal even though they obviously must be. Driver performance maybe?

As always the case, team performance is very important, even in spec series. In IndyCar there is a spec chassis, but Penske, Ganassi and Andretti are the best teams and win most of the time. In the Formula E season opener Abt and E.Dams seemed to be the best teams.

On the flipside I heard Trulli's interview that as the entrance of his team into FE was announced later than others, they still have a bit of catch up to do - and yes this is related to team operations specifically (setup work, ability to maximize the potential of chassis).

**Doc Austin** · 21st September 2014, 02:48

Originally Posted by Mark

Well since you asked, here you are

Thank you. Now we just need more races to talk about.

**steveaki13** · 21st September 2014, 09:35

Yes. Its an extraordinarily long gap between Rounds 1 & 2

**MrJan** · 21st September 2014, 19:24

Formation lap is about more than warming the tyres, it's about letting the drivers do a lap of the track in current conditions. It also happens in pretty much all levels of the sport.

**steveaki13** · 21st September 2014, 20:19

Also in all seriousness it is about checking systems and operations before the race too

**anfield5** · 13th October 2014, 00:57

Wow, I didn't realise the milk-float championship had started. There has been no TV or other media coverage of any sort down here at all.

**steveaki13** · 13th October 2014, 08:38

Originally Posted by anfield5

Wow, I didn't realise the milk-float championship had started. There has been no TV or other media coverage of any sort down here at all.

Look out for Round 2, which is in Malaysia on 22nd November.

Ridiculous gap between the races

**inimitablestoo** · 13th October 2014, 10:33

Apparently they had to move the second race because the Prime Minister of Malaysia is out that weekend and nobody else has the keys. Or something like that.