Audi to end their WEC programme....off to.....Formula E
Discussion
MG CHRIS said:
Atm yes but the manufactures are joining big time battery and electric technology is massively improving its only going to get quicker and better. Cant be any worse than f1 is atm.
It's worse because they race on road circuits no longer than 1.4 miles long and the top speed is 109mph. They look like glorified go karts and just don't excite. If thats the future of motorsport I guess I'll just be enjoying the future classic series which I hope will future the cars of the last decade.sirtyro said:
It's worse because they race on road circuits no longer than 1.4 miles long and the top speed is 109mph. They look like glorified go karts and just don't excite. If thats the future of motorsport I guess I'll just be enjoying the future classic series which I hope will future the cars of the last decade.
A cursory Google shows that the circuit for the next round is 1.85 miles long and the top speed of the cars is 140mph.The Hypno-Toad said:
Factory teams for 2017.
WEC: Toyota. Porsche.
F1: Mercedes. Renault. Ferrari.
Formula E: Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Renault, Citreon, Mahindra with Volvo and Tesla waiting to be confirmed.
The draw for the manufacturers isn't so much to do with developing electric technology but about having a marketing event in the middle of a big city guaranteed to be attended by thousands of people who won't necessarily be motorsport fans.WEC: Toyota. Porsche.
F1: Mercedes. Renault. Ferrari.
Formula E: Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Renault, Citreon, Mahindra with Volvo and Tesla waiting to be confirmed.
ribiero said:
jurbie said:
The draw for the manufacturers isn't so much to do with developing electric technology but about having a marketing event in the middle of a big city guaranteed to be attended by thousands of people who won't necessarily be motorsport fans.
This basically. I was wrong. I think , like many motorsport fans, I'd been conditioned into thinking around conventional motorsport series and struggled to calibrate my thinking to something so different. I know FE built up a lot of debt, but it seems like they 'speculated to accumulate' and the car manufacturer support is now coming.
Big name drivers, major OEMs, races in New York and Hong Kong. I think Liberty Media need to learn from this as they revamp F1.
I'd have a little more interest in it if they put the cars on proper circuits rather street circuits that doesn't really give the option of watching the racing. I'm sure if you were to put these cars on real circuits (similar to those used by Touring Cars as they are shorter than F1) then there would be some impressive racing rather than a line of cars with the occasional crash/bump/overtake attempt
evilmiyagi said:
I'd have a little more interest in it if they put the cars on proper circuits rather street circuits that doesn't really give the option of watching the racing. I'm sure if you were to put these cars on real circuits (similar to those used by Touring Cars as they are shorter than F1) then there would be some impressive racing rather than a line of cars with the occasional crash/bump/overtake attempt
I don't think they're visually or aurally impressive enough to perform well on the massive traditional circuits, where the fans are often pretty far from the action. The point mentioned earlier about being designed for manufacturers to showcase stuff right in the middle of a city is the crucial factor. They've built this whole concept around what's going to be best for manufacturers to market their product. This isn't built for motorsport people really, it's all about allowing the BMW marketing director to stay in a fancy hotel in central London rather than a Premier Inn in rural Northamptonshire.
durbster said:
I don't think they're visually or aurally impressive enough to perform well on the massive traditional circuits, where the fans are often pretty far from the action.
The point mentioned earlier about being designed for manufacturers to showcase stuff right in the middle of a city is the crucial factor. They've built this whole concept around what's going to be best for manufacturers to market their product. This isn't built for motorsport people really, it's all about allowing the BMW marketing director to stay in a fancy hotel in central London rather than a Premier Inn in rural Northamptonshire.
Fair shout! perhaps they are missing the trick on some of the market? I know the future is going to be electric and as much as we as motorsport enthusiasts dislike it, we are going to have to lump it.. But what is there for us to move to? I don't fancy sitting in a city centre watching a metal barrier..The point mentioned earlier about being designed for manufacturers to showcase stuff right in the middle of a city is the crucial factor. They've built this whole concept around what's going to be best for manufacturers to market their product. This isn't built for motorsport people really, it's all about allowing the BMW marketing director to stay in a fancy hotel in central London rather than a Premier Inn in rural Northamptonshire.
I live in Hong Kong and what I can say is that the FE race had more people ask me about racing than have ever spoken about it before.
It raised the profile of racing a lot and got people talking. So I can see the appeal for manufacturers.
Most people asked me if I went, I didn't.
I went to Japan and watched the F1...... turns out I should have gone the week after and watched the WEC as it was a much better race.
It raised the profile of racing a lot and got people talking. So I can see the appeal for manufacturers.
Most people asked me if I went, I didn't.
I went to Japan and watched the F1...... turns out I should have gone the week after and watched the WEC as it was a much better race.
MG CHRIS said:
Unless manufactures join in lmp1 can see Toyota and Porsche pulling out as well whats in it for them. Never understand Toyota in lmp1 doesn't pass anything down to its road car and when Porsche entered thought audi wont be around long.
Toyota was in it for that ever elusive LM24 win, which they again missed this year, Porsche is in it to defend their all most LM24 wins record from Audi (and with a gap at currently 5, have done so quite well)If Toyota gets their LM24 win they might bow out in favor of their other motorsports programs, having checked the box, and Porsche will leave when they are done extending their wins lead, or possible right after toyota bows out.
A cynical man would think this just killed LMP1.
Until Formula E start racing on real circuits and not street tracks, I'm not interested.
The streets I've seen them race on all look poor, the cars crash about on the bumps and it just looks daft, I know its the 'future' and I appreciate it has to exist to drive technology forward but I feel like its still got a long way to go before its a real race series and not just some weird string of exhibition races in the middle of a few City parks.
The streets I've seen them race on all look poor, the cars crash about on the bumps and it just looks daft, I know its the 'future' and I appreciate it has to exist to drive technology forward but I feel like its still got a long way to go before its a real race series and not just some weird string of exhibition races in the middle of a few City parks.
ISO51200 said:
Until Formula E start racing on real circuits and not street tracks, I'm not interested.
The streets I've seen them race on all look poor, the cars crash about on the bumps and it just looks daft, I know its the 'future' and I appreciate it has to exist to drive technology forward but I feel like its still got a long way to go before its a real race series and not just some weird string of exhibition races in the middle of a few City parks.
Be far better if you had pilots, for low flying remote drones....on city tracks (not allowed more than 10m off the ground) like "Wipeout"..The streets I've seen them race on all look poor, the cars crash about on the bumps and it just looks daft, I know its the 'future' and I appreciate it has to exist to drive technology forward but I feel like its still got a long way to go before its a real race series and not just some weird string of exhibition races in the middle of a few City parks.
redbull air-racing Formula E mash up style...
No I'm not sure how motor manufacturers get anything out of this...
Maybe Tesla can out of the batteries
ISO51200 said:
Until Formula E start racing on real circuits and not street tracks, I'm not interested.
The streets I've seen them race on all look poor, the cars crash about on the bumps and it just looks daft, I know its the 'future' and I appreciate it has to exist to drive technology forward but I feel like its still got a long way to go before its a real race series and not just some weird string of exhibition races in the middle of a few City parks.
I have the opposite view - if Formula E stops using real street circuits and goes to toy Tilkedromes I will lose interest.The streets I've seen them race on all look poor, the cars crash about on the bumps and it just looks daft, I know its the 'future' and I appreciate it has to exist to drive technology forward but I feel like its still got a long way to go before its a real race series and not just some weird string of exhibition races in the middle of a few City parks.
te, Formula E, Formula One, all dull as dishwater. All for innovation but as soon as it makes motor racing less exciting you have to draw the line. Having two sister companies from the corporate group race against each other never made much sense to me.
I'm fairly sure that 10 years ago they would have switched to Formula 1. Under current circumstances (diesel scandal, lack of EV credibility, F1 being a lost cause) Formula E makes a lot more sense.
I'm fairly sure that 10 years ago they would have switched to Formula 1. Under current circumstances (diesel scandal, lack of EV credibility, F1 being a lost cause) Formula E makes a lot more sense.
The VW master plan was Porsche to return to Le Mans with much fanfare and publicity (tick) , win on their 2nd attempt (tick) and Audi would exit stage left and complete their dream and ultimate manufacturer vanity project with an entry into F1. Make no mistake, the recent Mercedes F1 success really rankles with the Audi top brass.
And it was oh-so-close to happening.
Audi were on the cusp of buying Red Bull F1 until they were tipped off about Dieselgate.
That's why Horner was whinging so publicly about the Renault engines a while back - he believed Audi would come to the rescue with a new engine and a huge budget.
It would have made F1 a lot more interesting for sure.
Shame.
And it was oh-so-close to happening.
Audi were on the cusp of buying Red Bull F1 until they were tipped off about Dieselgate.
That's why Horner was whinging so publicly about the Renault engines a while back - he believed Audi would come to the rescue with a new engine and a huge budget.
It would have made F1 a lot more interesting for sure.
Shame.
Quickmoose said:
If they all end up bowing out of LMP1....Peugeot will be back in like a shot!
then Mazda
Aston Martin
Never going to happen especially Mazda. The rotary engine was banned at Le Mans and their last attempt at racing, which was at Daytona with what was basically an diesel LMP2 car a couple of years ago, was a total and utter disaster. then Mazda
Aston Martin
Peugeot might supply an engine but I doubt they would bother or have the funding for Le Mans as their principal historical opponent is now in F1 or Formula E.
Aston Martin are probably happy where they are at the moment in endurance racing as their last attempt at more serious effort was as big a disaster as the Mazda effort. However, if there was a chance the Newey supercar could win outright....
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