Formula E: More Than Just A Touch Of Formula 1

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

After the eighth race in the series, Formula E left an impressive footprint in Berlin. In addition, the newly created racing series gives many indications for the ailing premier class.

By Thomas Flehmer

It is not the Nasgul who want to prevent Frodo in the three-part "Lord of the Rings" from throwing the ring into the throat and saving Middle-earth. On the airfield of Tempelhof Airport there are a total of 40 cars that transmit their electric sound to over 20,000 spectators. At the end of the eighth race of the newly created Formula E, the ten teams sent the visitors home impressed after the eighth race.

No earplugs at the edge of the track

Because the purely electrically powered racing cars, which have 275 HP less in qualifying and 70 HP less in the race, are indistinguishable from the top- class cars when you look at them. Only the noise, which was already reduced in Formula 1, cannot be heard. “Many say there is no noise. I wore earplugs for 40 years, it's nice not to wear earplugs,”said former Formula 1 racing driver Hans-Joachim Stuck in an interview with Autogazette. In fact, the background music was louder than the racing cars on the track.

While free practice and the qualifying, divided into four groups of five cars each, were rather slow for the spectators, the visitors were rewarded with the race and some overtaking maneuvers. The appearing "Oh" and "Ah" in the stands clearly showed that the spectators accepted the premiere season on the historic area.

Guide to Formula 1

The new series created by the world federation Fia is being looked at very critically. Eleven races, ten teams, 40 cars, practice, qualifying and races are on the test bench. "It's just as exciting as in Formula 1," said Gebhard Sanne Autogazette.de after he had done the qualification on the big screen and not directly on the edge of the track.

The presidium member of the German Motor Sport Association (DMSB) is also chairman of the Formula 1 commission of the Fia and tries to further upgrade the premier class. He particularly likes that the event takes place on one instead of three days. "There is a lot of idling in Formula 1, here a lot of the program is spread over one day."

Renault as a supervisor

It is uncertain whether Formula E can become a guide for Formula 1. Thanks to the standardized construction, the vehicle construction of which Renault is responsible for as supervisor, the driver is more important than ever in Formula E. The regulations will be relaxed a little from the coming season. How is not clear yet.

"Strietzel" Stuck hopes that the wisdom runs so far that "the regulations are limited to the extent that everyone can continue to work at reasonable prices and not one comes with a budget over 100 million and drives the others into the ground." Then the screeching of the Nasgul would be a omen - unfortunately not a positive one.