Sorry I tried, but cannot `get' formula E.
Discussion
Tried watching the race this weekend and there are two main issues for me: street circuits and the horrendous production management.
The street races are not too different to Indycar and that sucks too, even with engine noise. There's very little overtaking, you can't see what's going on (on TV) and the cars never seems settled due to the road surface.
The TV director never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Very amateurish I thought.
Put them on tracks the fans would recognise and then I think there would be some interest. No doubt, these cars are the future but they're not helping themselves in the way they're pushing it. If its to be a viable alternative to things like F1 they need to sell it the same way - glamour & glitz. Not street circuits and yoof.
The street races are not too different to Indycar and that sucks too, even with engine noise. There's very little overtaking, you can't see what's going on (on TV) and the cars never seems settled due to the road surface.
The TV director never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Very amateurish I thought.
Put them on tracks the fans would recognise and then I think there would be some interest. No doubt, these cars are the future but they're not helping themselves in the way they're pushing it. If its to be a viable alternative to things like F1 they need to sell it the same way - glamour & glitz. Not street circuits and yoof.
fatbutt said:
Put them on tracks the fans would recognise...
Would racing them round Spa and Silverstone simply highlight that they are pretty slow and can only do a few laps of a grown up race track before needing to pit/swap cars? Perhaps that's why they use small tight street circuits? RichB said:
ould racing them round Spa and Silverstone simply highlight that they are pretty slow and can only do a few laps of a grown up race track before needing to pit/swap cars? Perhaps that's why they use small tight street circuits?
I agree, Saturday's race was the first I had seen. They seemed to suit that little track well. The low grip also helped as they were moving around a fair bit. Simplify the racing rules and if it survives into its 3rd year with multiple manufacture support and development they could have something.
fatbutt said:
Tried watching the race this weekend and there are two main issues for me: street circuits and the horrendous production management.
The street races are not too different to Indycar and that sucks too, even with engine noise. There's very little overtaking, you can't see what's going on (on TV) and the cars never seems settled due to the road surface.
The TV director never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Very amateurish I thought.
Put them on tracks the fans would recognise and then I think there would be some interest. No doubt, these cars are the future but they're not helping themselves in the way they're pushing it. If its to be a viable alternative to things like F1 they need to sell it the same way - glamour & glitz. Not street circuits and yoof.
I tried for the third time to watch it this weekend - nope, still can't get into it and for the reasons above really.The street races are not too different to Indycar and that sucks too, even with engine noise. There's very little overtaking, you can't see what's going on (on TV) and the cars never seems settled due to the road surface.
The TV director never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Very amateurish I thought.
Put them on tracks the fans would recognise and then I think there would be some interest. No doubt, these cars are the future but they're not helping themselves in the way they're pushing it. If its to be a viable alternative to things like F1 they need to sell it the same way - glamour & glitz. Not street circuits and yoof.
Street circuits are too confined for good racing, small mistakes are often punished by hitting scenery so drivers can't be as assertive as they can on a more open circuit. In addition, the scenery is often armco, which usually means terminal damage - the result is fewer overtakes than would be the case on a traditional circuit.
I can see the attraction for the organisers - cities are where the potential spectators are, and it's a USP of an electric formula that the noise isn't an issue so they can be run in built up areas. Doesn't mean they should be though.
The TV coverage is woeful - director missing crucial overtakes and commentators who are obviously seeing the same pictures we are, resulting in confusion and me shouting at the screen as the commentator hasn't noticed two cars have changed places.
It might survive, but it'll need to become something different to prosper.
RichB said:
fatbutt said:
Put them on tracks the fans would recognise...
Would racing them round Spa and Silverstone simply highlight that they are pretty slow and can only do a few laps of a grown up race track before needing to pit/swap cars? Perhaps that's why they use small tight street circuits? Also around a normal track like donington there isnt the need for braking as much so not much energy recovery which meant that the number of laps at full speed around the circuit was minimal, i believe the number given was two flat out laps but may be wrong.
I actually found the downhill soap box cart races more exciting than Formula E, and a lot more watchable and amusing.
And sorry I did try to watch the 2nd race, but found it completely underwhelming. Not helped, by a faint tang of ecomentalism that seemed to pervade the presentation.
Race electric cars by all means, but do it for racings sake, don't try to dress it up as some kind of environmental way of racing.
And sorry I did try to watch the 2nd race, but found it completely underwhelming. Not helped, by a faint tang of ecomentalism that seemed to pervade the presentation.
Race electric cars by all means, but do it for racings sake, don't try to dress it up as some kind of environmental way of racing.
I fail to see why noise is an issue if you are watching on TV as the medium doesn't even begin to convey what IC engined racing cars actually sound like live. If we can get past the facile 'it's all green b
ks hype innit ' level of debate I suspect that a lot of other racing may learn from it. I am an old fart traditionalist who adores live racing from trackside but the demographic who do what I do are mainly late middle aged blokes like me (apart from BTCC which is undeniably popular if borderline offensive to purists like me ). F1 audience gets smaller and older too as Ecclestone thinks only people like me want to buy Rolexes and Johnny Walker whisky . Dunno where that leaves Red Bull as wild horses wouldn't make me drink that gunk again
ks hype innit ' level of debate I suspect that a lot of other racing may learn from it. I am an old fart traditionalist who adores live racing from trackside but the demographic who do what I do are mainly late middle aged blokes like me (apart from BTCC which is undeniably popular if borderline offensive to purists like me ). F1 audience gets smaller and older too as Ecclestone thinks only people like me want to buy Rolexes and Johnny Walker whisky . Dunno where that leaves Red Bull as wild horses wouldn't make me drink that gunk againcoppice said:
I fail to see why noise is an issue if you are watching on TV as the medium doesn't even begin to convey what IC engined racing cars actually sound like live.
Indeed, I guess it means "old farts" can watch a race while enjoying Radio 4 
Personally I have a decent 5.1 system and turn the volume up a bit when I'm watching a GP, and I enjoy it. I found the FE dull. And yes I'm an old fart and yes I also go to F1 races live.
kazste said:
It would highlight the speed of the cars for sure, during the donington test coming down the craner curves there was less speed than a formula ford but coming out of the melbourne loop the acceleration was very strong. This is why the circuits are mainly tight corners with short straight their just playing to their strengths which is understandable.
Also around a normal track like donington there isnt the need for braking as much so not much energy recovery which meant that the number of laps at full speed around the circuit was minimal, i believe the number given was two flat out laps but may be wrong.
How about putting them on traditional tracks but add some new (temporary) chicanes to emphasise the positive? And make the overall circuit shorter with short cuts, etc.Also around a normal track like donington there isnt the need for braking as much so not much energy recovery which meant that the number of laps at full speed around the circuit was minimal, i believe the number given was two flat out laps but may be wrong.
If the use of 'real' circuits highlight the lack of speed, then the cars aren't fast enough surely? Simple visual tricks like location aren't going endear anyone to a new formula if it simply isn't up to the rest of the formulas out there!
fatbutt said:
How about putting them on traditional tracks but add some new (temporary) chicanes to emphasise the positive? And make the overall circuit shorter with short cuts, etc.
If the use of 'real' circuits highlight the lack of speed, then the cars aren't fast enough surely? Simple visual tricks like location aren't going endear anyone to a new formula if it simply isn't up to the rest of the formulas out there!
I have no interest in seeing them on 'real' circuits. I want to go to see a race in a city centre, nicely compressed into one day so I can have a weekend away with the other half and still have time for scoffing posh nosh and sightseeing. If the use of 'real' circuits highlight the lack of speed, then the cars aren't fast enough surely? Simple visual tricks like location aren't going endear anyone to a new formula if it simply isn't up to the rest of the formulas out there!
Edited by AnotherClarkey on Tuesday 16th December 14:07
I'ms orry but it is absolutely awful. The more dreary, contrived formula ever. Nobody knows what they're talking about, the rules are completely bizarre, the cars sound worse than a dishwasher and the track, the last one at least, was dreadful, it looked like they'd just decided to put some barriers around some streets and "well that will do, they can race in that"
A big part of motorsport or any sport is the noise and the atmosphere. Go to a football or a rugby game that's silent, and your not going to be interested. If Manchester and Liverpool came together and it was just some over price tools kicking a ball about in near silence, you wouldn't be the blindest bit interested.
The moment they stepped out of the cars to swap cars about 15 laps in, the whole thing lost any credibility for me. The racing was to my eyes mediocre and really quite dull too, I'm not a fan of street circuits because I think it limits the racing potential too much, I honestly don't know why Monaco is so popular as F1 race. The cars weren't even going that quite
So in summary I wont be watching it again.
A big part of motorsport or any sport is the noise and the atmosphere. Go to a football or a rugby game that's silent, and your not going to be interested. If Manchester and Liverpool came together and it was just some over price tools kicking a ball about in near silence, you wouldn't be the blindest bit interested.
The moment they stepped out of the cars to swap cars about 15 laps in, the whole thing lost any credibility for me. The racing was to my eyes mediocre and really quite dull too, I'm not a fan of street circuits because I think it limits the racing potential too much, I honestly don't know why Monaco is so popular as F1 race. The cars weren't even going that quite
So in summary I wont be watching it again.
Suppose the people who dislike formula e are the same people who have been crying all year about the sound of the F1 engines.
Really enjoyed the Formula E races. Good tracks (much more interesting than new F1 tracks- ie you actually get punished for making a mistake), top drivers, and good racing with a veriaty of front runners. If you enjoy decent racing I can't understand why anyone would not like it.
Really enjoyed the Formula E races. Good tracks (much more interesting than new F1 tracks- ie you actually get punished for making a mistake), top drivers, and good racing with a veriaty of front runners. If you enjoy decent racing I can't understand why anyone would not like it.
Franck Montagny had the right idea to spice up Formula E, but unfortunately recreational drugs are banned by the FIA and he's likely to lose his licence.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117253
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117253
Just planning out my race season and notice that the Formula E race in London clashes with the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Tempted to do Fri / Sun at Goodwood and Sat at Battersea. Would sooner judge the series in person than on TV if possible - I whole-heartedly support the concept but that is a terrible clash.
chevronb37 said:
Just planning out my race season and notice that the Formula E race in London clashes with the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Tempted to do Fri / Sun at Goodwood and Sat at Battersea. Would sooner judge the series in person than on TV if possible - I whole-heartedly support the concept but that is a terrible clash.
Common sense woukd dictate that having Formula E cars at something as high profile as the festival of speed might gain some interest and possibly even a bit more credibility.DanielSan said:
Common sense woukd dictate that having Formula E cars at something as high profile as the festival of speed might gain some interest and possibly even a bit more credibility.
I'd say the opposite - having them at a festival dedicated to speed, noise and the drama of motorsport would just highlight the problems with FE. Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff