Formula E: Global Electric Car Series to Launch in 2014

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Finally finished watching it. It's interesting, but the car swap in the middle really takes the momentum out of the race.

I didn't think they made enough of it. Maybe they didn't want to bring attention to it. But they really should give timings. It's a long pit stop and as with other racing, a quick stop can make a difference.

The street circuit layout seemed weird to me, presumably it's optimized for EV? Just 4 hard left turns and a couple of kinks in the straights.

The two problems with actual street circuits is repurposing, fitting it
EDIT: oops, finish thoughts...
The two problems with actual street circuits are that you're repurposing existing roads and you have to consider regular use. Monaco's F1 course is an example of how bad street courses can be but romanticism gets in the way.

It's early days, but the whole thing feels a little 'cheap'; the graphics (confusing and tacky), the odd music bed that came and went, and the pitlane made of tents.

A little cheap, but I'd give them time to develop. Dario Franchitti had some useful things to say and I hope that he'll get better. Too much to expect Walker-Hunt or Walker-Brundle. (British people will know what I mean)

I did really like them showing remain capacity, but I'd relative meaning would be useful.

Dramatic last lap though, at least the safety cage is solid, Heidfeld was lucky though, the strange angle he was flying through the air could have thrown the car against something that the rollbar wouldn't have protected him from.

I was wondering if following and efficient driving would help him push on at the end and the answer seemed to be yes. Prost just blew it. I think it was great that the spectacular crash had such an unspectacular result.

So it's interesting, they need to do a lot more all round to engage your typical race fan though.

More noise! Louder is faster! OK, kidding.

One obvious thing to change is trying to make the car swaps more visible and timed. Embrace it and normalize it.

 

[NigelM]

One obvious thing to change is trying to make the car swaps more visible and timed. Embrace it and normalize it.

Agree! And get rid of the minimum pit time; there's no sensible reason for it IMO.

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone who follows F1 probably reads James Allen now and then; he did a nice report on the Beijing Formula -e race. It's interesting to read the comments on his piece as those guys are all petrol-heads who've complained about the lack of noise and roar on F1cars this year - Overall they are very favorable comments and it looks like Formula-e good attract quite a following if they tweak it in the right direction.

 

[thelastdeadmouse]

Agree! And get rid of the minimum pit time; there's no sensible reason for it IMO.

I'm assuming they have it for the same reason as they got rid of the sprint to your car start at LeMans. Someone drove off without strapping in to save time, crashed on the first lap and died. It'd be nice to see the minimum pit time reduced though, I'm not sure how long it as but it seemed like the drivers were sitting for quite a bit of time after strapping in.

 

[physicsfita]

I'm assuming they have it for the same reason as they got rid of the sprint to your car start at LeMans. Someone drove off without strapping in to save time, crashed on the first lap and died. It'd be nice to see the minimum pit time reduced though, I'm not sure how long it as but it seemed like the drivers were sitting for quite a bit of time after strapping in.

I don't know if the series organizers would want to risk that -- you need the time to be long enough that the drivers can get out and in, no matter what happens (release buckle on old car jams, driver trips and falls between cars, straps in new car not behaving, etc.). Seems to me that they need to have the minimum time be massive overkill compared to a regular stop to cover the very worst-case scenarios.

Bringing in an audio feed from the pit communications would be good, though -- I'm sure there's all sorts of interesting strategy being discussed after the driver is strapped in. Actually more coverage of pit radio would be good during the race, too.

 

[Kofi]

Round 7 is being held in Long Beach, CA.
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/calendar/2015-long-beach.aspx

 

[swaltner]

A little necromancy reviving this thread from the dead...

LEGO released a new Formula E® Porsche 99X Electric kit. 422 pieces and just shy of $50 USD. Complete with a pair of "pullback motors" and consisting of standard LEGO Technic pieces.

Formula E® Porsche 99X Electric 42137 | Technic™ | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US

A rewarding build with augmented-reality race play

www.lego.com

 

[pete8314]

Wow, this is an old thread! Formula E has come a l-o-n-g way since 2014!

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Wow, this is an old thread! Formula E has come a l-o-n-g way since 2014!

Indeed.
No swap needed since gen 2.
Lighter, faster, more powerful.
3rd gen will be even lighter and more powerful.