There’s a new motor racing championship on the circuit combining the speed and glamour of Formula 1 with more eco-conscious credentials.
Formula E (E for electric) kicked off in Beijing last year and has a calendar of 10 races around the world, ending with a street race in London’s Battersea Park in June.
The championship has got some big name backers including motor racing royalty Alain Prost and Mario Andretti, business tycoon Richard Branson and even a Hollywood superstar in the shape of Leonardo Di Caprio. Supported by Formula 1’s ruling body the FIA, the aim of the championship, in their own words is ‘to develop electric vehicle technology, accelerate interest and promote sustainability’. It’s these principles that brought Di Caprio on board. A keen environmentalist he’s now a co-founder of the Monaco-based Venturi Formula E team.
So how does it compare to Formula 1? Well for starters the cars don’t go as fast, with a maximum speed of 140 mph (compared to 200mph in F1). However, with the races being held on twisty street circuits rather than racetracks, the speed difference isn’t that noticeable. The noise levels are also a lot lower, lacking the familiar roar of a Formula 1 engine. These aren’t milk floats though, you definitely hear them coming and they’re much louder than your average road car.
The cars run on a specially developed battery, courtesy of the clever people at the Williams Formula 1 team, which provides enough power to get through half the race. Yes, just half the race. Instead of a pit stop to change tyres, drivers have to hop out of their car into a fully charged spare – the technology to have a battery life that lasts a whole race is still in development.
Unlike Formula 1 the Formula E action all takes place on one day featuring practise, qualifying and the race itself. Fans can also influence the race voting online for their favourite driver, the top three of which receive a five-second speed boost. The organisers are hoping to attract a wider audience than the traditional motor racing fan. Whether they can achieve this is still to be seen, but we’re looking forward to seeing these innovative cars hitting our shores at the end of the season.