Formula E

ScumLord

Myrddin wrote: »

As for the sport contributing to saving the world, I really can't see it. Not unless the planes, ships & trucks used to shuttle the sport, its people & the parts around the globe are running Hydrogen based power systems.

It's not going to directly save the world but the engineers working on the cars will have that in the back of their head. You never know either, the advances they make in making a high speed motor could go on to help all other industries. To me, it really is like the good old days when anythings possible.

Yeah I'm looking forward to how Formula E pans out...I'll go into it with an open mind really but if the embedded video is anything at all to go by, it looks bland & sterile. Hopefully it doesn't turn out that way

I think the fact so little is known about the cars and how they'll perform will lead to excitement. It may be comical at times, it may be embarrassing at first but I'm excited to see something so brand new. It's been a while since motorsport has gone into the unknown.

cherryghost

So uh... Leonardo DiCaprio is entering a team for next year.

Myrddin

cherryghost wrote: »

So uh... Leonardo DiCaprio is entering a team for next year.

Amazing how he finds the time, what with being an F1 driver an all

Jordan 199

It's going to be broadcast live on ITV4.

Oafley Jones

They're still planning on letting viewers vote on giving a driver a single 50hp boost during the race. If so, **** it.

Tea 1000

I'm more excited about this now since the new F1 engines sound so crap! No sound might actually be better!

Tzardine

Tea 1000 wrote: »

I'm more excited about this now since the new F1 engines sound so crap! No sound might actually be better!

270 BHP and cars will be limited to 140mph

No thanks.

andyman

Adam Carroll could be racing in it, I'd watch in that case.

stevenmu

Tzardine wrote: »

270 BHP and cars will be limited to 140mph

No thanks.

If anything would put me off F1 it's the artificial performance limits they impose. I was hoping Formula E, being a new series and highly tech focused, would be much better in that regard, but it actually seems to be worse.

ScumLord

Tzardine wrote: »

270 BHP and cars will be limited to 140mph

No thanks.

I don't see why that has to be a problem, race go karts only put out 28hp.

stevenmu wrote: »

If anything would put me off F1 it's the artificial performance limits they impose. I was hoping Formula E, being a new series and highly tech focused, would be much better in that regard, but it actually seems to be worse.

Aren't they racing in cities though? I would assume they don't want experimental high speed cars driving around town.

It's the first year, they're going for spectacle to get people interested. If they wanted to allow the cars to go to their full potential (technologically) we'd probably need new tracks. They put limits on these cars to make them safe. Cars faster than F1 would have to have bigger run off areas and probably longer tracks to cater for the speed. An investment no one's going to put into formula e at this stage.

Charlie-Bravo

Some new drivers have been added - the latest is The Trulli Train. Should be fun watching his Sunday afternoon driving again :rolleyes:

http://www.fiaformulae.com/news/trulli-bird-heidfeld-Ambrosio-join-drivers-club

"Jarno Trulli, Sam Bird, Nick Heidfeld & Jérôme d'Ambrosio add names to Formula E Drivers' Club"

cherryghost

A list of drivers that never fully realized their potential.

stevenmu

ScumLord wrote: »

Aren't they racing in cities though? I would assume they don't want experimental high speed cars driving around town.

It's the first year, they're going for spectacle to get people interested. If they wanted to allow the cars to go to their full potential (technologically) we'd probably need new tracks. They put limits on these cars to make them safe. Cars faster than F1 would have to have bigger run off areas and probably longer tracks to cater for the speed. An investment no one's going to put into formula e at this stage.

That's a good point, I forgot they were racing in cities, which would require more safety, but should definitely help the spectacle.

When I saw how limited they are, I had visions of them crawling around F1 tracks which would be pretty dull.

Tzardine

ScumLord wrote: »

I don't see why that has to be a problem, race go karts only put out 28hp.

I dont understand your point.

Racing Karts is not a mass spectator sport.

ScumLord

Tzardine wrote: »

I dont understand your point.

Racing Karts is not a mass spectator sport.

It is in the likes of France I think. Spectator sports are just the ones that get promoted properly. Kart racing is often considered by most to be the purest form of motorsport. Just because millions of people don't watch it doesn't take anything away from the sport.

SouperComputer

ScumLord wrote: »

I don't see why that has to be a problem, race go karts put out as much as 90hp.

Fixed that for ya. FWIW, 250E's (ironically also called FE) put down about 90 HP and weigh in at 205Kg including driver. Somewhat akin to a light road car with 900HP to use quick and very nasty math.

Back on topic, 270 HP in a formula car is pretty decent, not sure what the weight of the formula E's is though.

afatbollix

How stupid is it to have Goodwood and this on in London at the same time! Goodwood has over 250k people at it that weekend its not like they will go to both events!

Tzardine

afatbollix wrote: »

How stupid is it to have Goodwood and this on in London at the same time! Goodwood has over 250k people at it that weekend its not like they will go to both events!

That is a strange decision. Although to be honest I really dont see Formula E being successful at all. Which is a shame because as much as I have criticized the series it could have potential however with no viewers it will quickly die out and be abandoned in my opinion.

antodeco

Tzardine wrote: »

That is a strange decision. Although to be honest I really dont see Formula E being successful at all. Which is a shame because as much as I have criticized the series it could have potential however with no viewers it will quickly die out and be abandoned in my opinion.

I think they will get "non motor" people going to this in London. Think of the Bavarian racing in town. Loads of people went, who were not motor people. Having cars race through a city is a pull in itself. Its actually something I would really like to see myself.

ScumLord

Tzardine wrote: »

That is a strange decision. Although to be honest I really dont see Formula E being successful at all. Which is a shame because as much as I have criticized the series it could have potential however with no viewers it will quickly die out and be abandoned in my opinion.

They've gone head first into the FE it's true. I would have liked to see something a bit more low key so they could develop the series before throwing it in front of the world untried and untested.

Sterling Archer

Maybe if they had tried to get it run as a support series first, saying that i am still interested in what it will be like as a sport

stevenmu

I think that a lot of the sponsors who support the lower key series seem to be involved in things like fuel, oil, performance parts etc, none of which will have any interest in an electric car series.

For Formula E to succeed they need to attract non-traditional sponsors, and the best way to do that is to go big and attract more mainstream media coverage. Hopefully it'll work out for them.

cherryghost

I guess nobody saw that video of about 8 of them launching off together. I can't find the video but it sounded horrible. Like a bunch of RC cars going around

Grim.

well there is this one with enhanced audio

Grim.

well they were never gona sound like V12 matras were they

Tzardine

Oh man. I was expecting it to suck but I am still in shock at how bad that looks.

Jordan 199

I'm going to at least watch one of these races to see how Heidfeld and Trulli will do as I followed them in F1 and to see what the racing is like.

ScumLord

Tzardine wrote: »

Oh man. I was expecting it to suck but I am still in shock at how bad that looks.

remember these cars are just a stopgap until the teams bring out their own cars from next year on.

I was surprised to hear gear changes.

Frank Bullitt

They look phenomenal on track in fairness, beautiful machines.

PopePalpatine

They sort of look like Red Bull X2014 Juniors from Gran Turismo 6.