Last week Motorsport On Monday took issue with Formula E's plan to give drivers additional power boost based on the number of Tweets they get during the race; Formula E didn't like it and asked for right of reply. So here's Ross Ringham of Formula E website Current E with his view on why social engagement and Formula E do make sense...
Ross writes: In the red corner, writing for PistonHeads' Motorsport on Monday column, is Sean Carson. He took a swing at electric racing series Formula E recently, with a right hook for the sport's plans for social media engagement and then from the left for the technical limitations of the cars and the lack of eardrum-destroying decibels.
'Fanboost' for drivers with the most Tweets?
In the green corner, me. I've been writing about development of the series for well over a year, and I run the independent Formula E site,
Current E.
I can't promise to mount a Tyson-esque performance in defence, but a little more context and a few more details could go a long way to evening up the scores.
The biggest controversy highlighted by Sean's column was Fanboost, which is a proposed Formula E feature whereby fans can vote for their favourite drivers using social media. The winning driver will be allowed an additional "push to pass" - an overtaking boost.
Let's get a few things straight. Fanboost is not an "artificial enhancement" designed to breathe some sort of relevance into a decades-old and out-of-touch series, and it is not a new revelation. It has been part of the organisers' plans from the starting line.
Every driver gets "push to pass" boosts during the race. The Fanboost-winning driver simply gets an additional one. Don't forget that the Formula E crown will be fought around street circuits such as Monaco – overtaking gizmos haven't really helped F1 drivers there. One short additional power boost in Formula E isn't likely to undermine driver skill.
Yes, so it may be that the team that consistently and continually develops the best social media strategy comes out ahead. Is that really a problem? It's no different to other sports, where teams with the biggest budgets hire the best driving and technical talent to build themselves an unassailable lead.
City racing should attract new breed of fans
And let's remember that Formula E is a brand new series – social media will help publicise it to a huge audience, fast and cost-effectively. Other motorsports already make great use of social media – after all, better fan engagement means happier sponsors, and a more viable financial future for the teams and sport as a whole.
It's difficult to really get into detail on Fanboost because the sporting regulations have not yet been finalised. Remember, this is a sport that hasn't even made it to the first race or signed all of its drivers yet. It's thought that the free to attend testing days at Donington Park in July and August will be used to develop the finished package. Until then, all we really have is speculation.
We also need to be clear about who is doing what. The FIA is not "meddling". Formula E is being run by an outfit called Formula E Holdings, headed up by Spanish businessman and self-confessed petrolhead, Alejandro Agag. The series is essentially his vision.
Google the guy, and you'll see Agag is no idiot, and no stranger to motorsport. He knows what he's doing, demonstrated in what Formula E has achieved so far. In less than two years, a mere whim has grown into a global racing series supported by the likes of McLaren, Williams, Renault, Michelin and Virgin.
Gimmick or clever innovation? Have your say...
Some of the world's best known cities and city circuits have signed up. And Formula E is on schedule to have 40 first-of-their-kind racing cars tested, built and on the race track within 12 months. Let's wait and see how Fanboost turns out.
Formula E drivers will swap cars in the first series, as the batteries won't allow a full-on race for an hour without depleting power very quickly. No, this is not ideal. Nobody is trying to pretend it is, but you have to start somewhere.
The series organiser is hoping to use season one to introduce the Formula E concept - electric racing cars, city centre circuits, fan interaction, and so on. Year two is when constructors will be allowed to build their own cars. That's when we'll see real engineering innovation and leaps in technological advancement. It's all part of the plan.
Sean's right hook is one we've seen again and again: noise (or more accurately, lack thereof in Formula E). This argument puzzles me. It really does. I'm not anti-noise. I even play the drums. But I wouldn't visit the Tour de France and complain about a lack of vrooming sounds. Or the Americas Cup, for that matter.
The point here is that Formula E is an entirely different proposition to F1 or WEC or any other motorsport. It cannot and should not be judged by the same criteria. It's like saying that Mumford and Sons aren't musicians because they don't play the guitar like Metallica. [Actually... - Ed.]
Really, what it comes down to is personal choice. Formula E will have its own fanbase, one possibly quite distinct from conventional motor racing. Formula E is setting itself up as a technology testbed; as a means of working towards better air quality in our cities; and as a sport that is relevant to the modern world.
We could even end up with terrace songs and chanting during Formula E races - the possibilities really are electrifying. (Never say never: before The Hangover, would you have bet on Tyson singing on camera? Exactly.)
Formula E hasn't yet begun. Pop along to the free test days in July and August at Donington Park and make your own mind up about the prospects of the sport. You'll see it really is a modern spectacle for the modern world, one where you can hold an actual conversation with the person next to you. And if you Tweet about it while you're there, you'll more than likely get a response from the teams and drivers.