Formula E - London

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Discussion

Hungry Pigeon

224 posts

183 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
@mods - why has my earlier post been deleted?

It was entirely accurate?

Are you expecting a big cheque to peddle Formula-e to the masses?

You asked for punter experiences, and then you delete them when the punters tell you what it was really like.


FourWheelDrift

88,381 posts

283 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Hungry Pigeon said:
@mods - why has my earlier post been deleted?

It was entirely accurate?

Are you expecting a big cheque to peddle Formula-e to the masses?

You asked for punter experiences, and then you delete them when the punters tell you what it was really like.
Your post has not been deleted, I can see all deleted posts and none of them are yours.

Perhaps if you looked at the right thread - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Hungry Pigeon

224 posts

183 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
FourWheelDrift said:
Your post has not been deleted, I can see all deleted posts and none of them are yours.

Perhaps if you looked at the right thread - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hadn't realised there were two threads running. Apologies.

AnotherClarkey

3,589 posts

188 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
I was there on Saturday - had a good day out.

My ticket was for platform 25 which I used for the qualifying session but for the race found a better spot trackside giving more visibility of turn 13. The facts that it was in the shade and gave a better impression of speed were bonuses.

The cars looked a genuine handful in qualifying, somewhat less so in race mode - though Vergne's move on turn 13 looked exceptionally ballsy in real life, fighting with the off-camber and struggling to get it stopped into the chicane. I think if they can get to the point of using qually power throughout the race then the cars will be spot on for the circuits they are using. The last thing I would want to see is a move to toy tracks like F1 uses.

A supporting race would be good - Zoe (or boosted Twizy) Cup perhaps?

Overall, a good experience - my wife surprised me by expressing a wish to go next year (she was off at some galleries this time). I suspect that the way to do it is either to spend the minimum possible (£15) and just treat it as a nice day out in the park with a picnic and some racing or go the whole hog with hospitality, pit pass etc. The middle options don't seem to offer much over the basic package.


Allyc85

7,225 posts

185 months

Monday 29th June 2015
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Tried watching the season finale, but just found it to be glorified bumper cars in the end when Buemi was trying to pass Senna.

The cars sound is grating, they are slow and the circuits are currently st. IMO the only thing that made the early races in the season was the suspension made of cheese breaking over kerbs.

Think I will wait until the cars are being properly developed before I give it another go really.

RichB

51,433 posts

283 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Hungry Pigeon said:
FourWheelDrift said:
Your post has not been deleted, I can see all deleted posts and none of them are yours. Perhaps if you looked at the right thread - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hadn't realised there were two threads running. Apologies.
Ah ha... having read that I can sense that you didn't enjoy yourself! Close on £300 for a day out sounds expensive.

-Lummox-

1,273 posts

212 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
I was there on Saturday in the E-Village.

Found it slightly odd that the commentary of the race on the big screen we were near, was broadcast over the sound of dance music rather than the sound of the cars. Presumably they thought people would prefer that to electric motor whirr, but it seemed a bit odd.

Also suffered blue screen of death in the final lap of the race, which didn't come on again until a minute or two after the race had finished. Talk about frustrating!

Overall though, it was an enjoyable day and a bit different. Even Mrs Lummox enjoyed it, although she did ask me halfway through the race "are the cars electric then?"

rolleyes

DonkeyApple

54,923 posts

168 months

Monday 29th June 2015
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hornet said:
Surprised they didn't use the Olympic Park to be honest.
Organisers wanted the spectators to arrive with money still in their wallets and not bleeding. wink

RichB

51,433 posts

283 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
hornet said:
Surprised they didn't use the Olympic Park to be honest.
Organisers wanted the spectators to arrive with money still in their wallets and not bleeding. wink
So they could confiscate it along with the drinks and picnics people had brought with them wink

DonkeyApple

54,923 posts

168 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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RichB said:
DonkeyApple said:
hornet said:
Surprised they didn't use the Olympic Park to be honest.
Organisers wanted the spectators to arrive with money still in their wallets and not bleeding. wink
So they could confiscate it along with the drinks and picnics people had brought with them wink
What if any of those drinks or picnics had political leanings towards the IRA or ISIL!!! Luckily, I'm sure they had security verified food and drink available inside?

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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realjv said:
Some thoughts on Formula e after attending yesterdays final round in Battersea Park.
The speed of the cars. On some of the longer straights on the track I'm sure the speed of the cars felt to be somewhat lacking, however I watched the event from a position overlooking the chicanes at turns 4,5,6 & 7 and they were impressively quick through this section. The combined low downforce levels, hard tyres, bumps and general low grip level of the track surface meant the cars were really fidgeting about making them look on edge and quicker. If they can hold back aero performance and ensure the grip levels of the cars do not rise too much then as they evolve and add more power they are going to be a real handfull and quite spectacular.

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 29th June 11:41
I think you've hit the nail on the head. The situation has been contrived to make them LOOK quick. No grip, narrow, slippery tracks. Since when has motor racing been about that?

Until they develop them to have enough power to race properly on real circuits, this will always be a problem to fans of motor sport, IMO.


V8 GMS

727 posts

214 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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Well I went with fairly low expectations on Sunday (platform 7) and really enjoyed it - what a finish to the race!

There was a slight feeling of lack of atmosphere with no tannoy for commentary (I didn't see anyone selling radios) and no screen.

After half a dozen laps I went to the beer tent and watched on the big screen. Much better. Next year I'll just get general admission tickets and Base myself there from the start.

realjv

1,112 posts

165 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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V8 GMS said:
There was a slight feeling of lack of atmosphere with no tannoy for commentary (I didn't see anyone selling radios) and no screen.
Sounds like you unfortunately missed the free earpiece radios they were handing out. We got given ours as we came through the gate but they were also handing them out on the Visa stand. Would have been nice if they'd it more obvious.

realjv

1,112 posts

165 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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REALIST123 said:
I think you've hit the nail on the head. The situation has been contrived to make them LOOK quick. No grip, narrow, slippery tracks.
I don't understand. What's wrong with having a rule set that limits car grip when you know what your power limitations are? When grip overules power cars get easier to drive and whilst they might corner quickly it looks easy. As Tony Brooks says, a race car should always have more power than its chassis can handle.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

273 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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realjv said:
I don't understand. What's wrong with having a rule set that limits car grip when you know what your power limitations are? When grip overules power cars get easier to drive and whilst they might corner quickly it looks easy. As Tony Brooks says, a race car should always have more power than its chassis can handle.
may I suggest you look at formula Ford racing then?

ie, they actually manage to race each other, and they are far from overpowered.




Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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designndrive62 said:
Rude-boy said:
Gaz. said:
Don't bet too much, the Moscow FE race only had 70,000 viewers.
Out of interest which ITV channel was that broadcasted on?
ITV 4, which had all the races bar the London finale
Which, to be honest, is what I thought but wasn't 100% sure as I was lucky enough to be in Moscow for that race.

So 70,000 viewers on ITV4 for the Moscow race is actually not a bad figure at all considering the channel.

What I have found most interesting though is not the comments of people like us who are car lovers but those of others who are not the sort that would consider waking at 5am to be at the gates to Silverstone for 8:30 for a day of Caterhams. Many I have seen comment on Facebook and the like have been broadly positive about the event. Yes there are areas that can be vastly improved, but as a concept it's really got legs.


designndrive62

743 posts

156 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
Which, to be honest, is what I thought but wasn't 100% sure as I was lucky enough to be in Moscow for that race.

So 70,000 viewers on ITV4 for the Moscow race is actually not a bad figure at all considering the channel.

What I have found most interesting though is not the comments of people like us who are car lovers but those of others who are not the sort that would consider waking at 5am to be at the gates to Silverstone for 8:30 for a day of Caterhams. Many I have seen comment on Facebook and the like have been broadly positive about the event. Yes there are areas that can be vastly improved, but as a concept it's really got legs.
I agree I think it really has a positive future. Lots of people are saying give them more power, put them on proper tracks etc.. but as you mentioned this series isn't about getting up before dawn to go to a windy airfield track, its about accessibility and a new audience. If you give the cars loads more power and take them out the cities, the target audience is lost and it will get lost in the sea of traditional single seater motorsports. Having the cars with less power, on smaller city circuits that would be impossible for other series to run on, is part of its appeal to attract a new audience.

egor110

16,818 posts

202 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
designndrive62 said:
Rude-boy said:
Which, to be honest, is what I thought but wasn't 100% sure as I was lucky enough to be in Moscow for that race.

So 70,000 viewers on ITV4 for the Moscow race is actually not a bad figure at all considering the channel.

What I have found most interesting though is not the comments of people like us who are car lovers but those of others who are not the sort that would consider waking at 5am to be at the gates to Silverstone for 8:30 for a day of Caterhams. Many I have seen comment on Facebook and the like have been broadly positive about the event. Yes there are areas that can be vastly improved, but as a concept it's really got legs.
I agree I think it really has a positive future. Lots of people are saying give them more power, put them on proper tracks etc.. but as you mentioned this series isn't about getting up before dawn to go to a windy airfield track, its about accessibility and a new audience. If you give the cars loads more power and take them out the cities, the target audience is lost and it will get lost in the sea of traditional single seater motorsports. Having the cars with less power, on smaller city circuits that would be impossible for other series to run on, is part of its appeal to attract a new audience.
A city track which doesn't include the landmarks of that city is pointless, it says something when formula e couldn't even get corporate clients there on freebies.

SPS

1,306 posts

259 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
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"Formula E" just leaves me cold tbh.
Motor racing without any passion or soul!!
Mind you I don't bother even watching F1 anymore - instead I watch video/streams of proper racing from the 50's to the early eighties.
Now that was racing.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 30th June 2015
quotequote all
realjv said:
REALIST123 said:
I think you've hit the nail on the head. The situation has been contrived to make them LOOK quick. No grip, narrow, slippery tracks.
I don't understand. What's wrong with having a rule set that limits car grip when you know what your power limitations are? When grip overules power cars get easier to drive and whilst they might corner quickly it looks easy. As Tony Brooks says, a race car should always have more power than its chassis can handle.
But the FE doesn't have more power than it's chassis can handle, which is why they contrive the circuits to make them look quick (-er than they really are).

And I doubt that Tony Brooks had 200 bhp in an 800kg car in mind when he said that!