Audi to end their WEC programme....off to.....Formula E
Discussion
The Hypno-Toad said:
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.
ummm sorry to contradict you but mazda have been doing ok in IMSA as of late...... theyre 6th in the IMSA standings http://www.imsa.com/manufacturers/mazdaEdited by 37chevy on Thursday 27th October 16:32
Maldini35 said:
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.
Blimey! Was that when Piech wielded power within the group?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.
What does it cost to run two cars in Formula E?
Is it any coincidence that the manufacturers in DTM announced plans to downsize by 2 cars each for 2017 and then BMW followed closely by Audi announce an intention to enter Formula E?
Formula E currently is the poor relation of other series. The technology isn't optimised (aren't McLaren contracted to resolve the battery tech?) the street circuits currently used are Mickey Mouse and it doesn't generate enough column inches.
But it's currently 'cheap' , offers a shop window to manufacturers and is 'green'.
Is it any coincidence that the manufacturers in DTM announced plans to downsize by 2 cars each for 2017 and then BMW followed closely by Audi announce an intention to enter Formula E?
Formula E currently is the poor relation of other series. The technology isn't optimised (aren't McLaren contracted to resolve the battery tech?) the street circuits currently used are Mickey Mouse and it doesn't generate enough column inches.
But it's currently 'cheap' , offers a shop window to manufacturers and is 'green'.
Its obviously not enough to just produce a sport that pleases the fans anymore, it seems like too much of motorsport is satisfying whatever political agenda the sponsors/manufacturers want to promote, the idea being that they are paying for the party.... as race tickets don't even make a dent (ie the fans), pretty obvious that costs have spiraled to silly levels again and it feels like the fans are just an afterthought who should just be grateful.
Bloody shame, I've said it once before but Formula E is face achingly s
te in its current guise.
Thanks for some brilliant races at Le Mans Audi, you fought like it was your last race every time. The 2011 race was the highlight for me, watching two horrendous crashes and seeing both drivers walk away and still winning with your remaining car was just amazing.
Bloody shame, I've said it once before but Formula E is face achingly s
te in its current guise. Thanks for some brilliant races at Le Mans Audi, you fought like it was your last race every time. The 2011 race was the highlight for me, watching two horrendous crashes and seeing both drivers walk away and still winning with your remaining car was just amazing.
Still people aren't getting it manufactures are in motorsport too sell a brand always will and always have. Electric cars are currently the new market and is very trendy with certain parts of the sociality. It races in cities where non motorsport types would be watching its not desgined for old school motorsport fans.
Its the best market place for electric car advancement with battery and electric technology the series will push this further its what the manufactures are pushing and looking at the entries for different series it seems to be very popular for manufacturers. Also its a good business case for them.
Its the best market place for electric car advancement with battery and electric technology the series will push this further its what the manufactures are pushing and looking at the entries for different series it seems to be very popular for manufacturers. Also its a good business case for them.
MG CHRIS said:
Still people aren't getting it manufactures are in motorsport too sell a brand always will and always have. Electric cars are currently the new market and is very trendy with certain parts of the sociality. It races in cities where non motorsport types would be watching its not desgined for old school motorsport fans.
Its the best market place for electric car advancement with battery and electric technology the series will push this further its what the manufactures are pushing and looking at the entries for different series it seems to be very popular for manufacturers. Also its a good business case for them.
But we do get it, most people reading this fully understand motor sport and the financial model behind it. However it's lazy, even lazier so than F1 these days. Couple of chassis and a couple engine. formula E is purely a marketing exercise, stick your brand on a one make chassis and one make electric engine. Its so fIts the best market place for electric car advancement with battery and electric technology the series will push this further its what the manufactures are pushing and looking at the entries for different series it seems to be very popular for manufacturers. Also its a good business case for them.
king boring, if the masses love it fair enough but then the majority voted Brexit and look how thats going to end up..... the sooner we see the death of st like Formula E the better!If you sare happy seeing full sized Scalxtrics you'll love a bit of FE. If the world continues to push efficiency as a deciding factor in motorsport we may as well race cars on train tracks....
Edited by vz-r_dave on Thursday 27th October 21:54
First year they all had the same motor and gearbox, this year many different options , you could tell the difference in the cars with seamless cvt as well as multi speed gearboxes. Formula E was always going to develop and attract manufacturers keen to develop and market EV and that's no bad thing at all as for the tracks well they are different and very marketable and there is every possibility that next year the tech will be such that they will be able to use full on race tracks . The racing in Battersea last season was much better than the first year and the outcome was decided in a very different way as a result of the collision and spare cars and points for fastest laps!
I think it has a big future and will get continued investment to grow, given how many conventional single seater series have failed to survive ( A1gp, superleague, F2 and many more ) all of which had great racing but lacked long term viability we should encourage Formula E to develop. Just please lose the awful music played during the race!
I think it has a big future and will get continued investment to grow, given how many conventional single seater series have failed to survive ( A1gp, superleague, F2 and many more ) all of which had great racing but lacked long term viability we should encourage Formula E to develop. Just please lose the awful music played during the race!
Season 1 was a standard car for all teams. Dallara chassis, Williams battery, McClaren motor and Hewland 5 speed gearbox. Renault did some systems engineering to help mash it all together.
Season 2 kept the same chassis and battery but opened up development on motor and transmission. There were teams racing with 1,2,3 and 5 speed gearboxes coupled to single or twin motors in various longitudinal layouts.
Season 3 is similar with many of the teams heavily revising their setups.
I am not sure what else may be opened up in season 4 but from season 5 there should be an all-new car with a McClaren battery capable of lasting the whole race. The pace of opening up the cars for development has been measured so far but I expect that the manufacturers will now have their say as to how things go from here.
Season 2 kept the same chassis and battery but opened up development on motor and transmission. There were teams racing with 1,2,3 and 5 speed gearboxes coupled to single or twin motors in various longitudinal layouts.
Season 3 is similar with many of the teams heavily revising their setups.
I am not sure what else may be opened up in season 4 but from season 5 there should be an all-new car with a McClaren battery capable of lasting the whole race. The pace of opening up the cars for development has been measured so far but I expect that the manufacturers will now have their say as to how things go from here.
AnotherClarkey said:
Season 1 was a standard car for all teams. Dallara chassis, Williams battery, McClaren motor and Hewland 5 speed gearbox. Renault did some systems engineering to help mash it all together.
Season 2 kept the same chassis and battery but opened up development on motor and transmission. There were teams racing with 1,2,3 and 5 speed gearboxes coupled to single or twin motors in various longitudinal layouts.
Season 3 is similar with many of the teams heavily revising their setups.
I am not sure what else may be opened up in season 4 but from season 5 there should be an all-new car with a McClaren battery capable of lasting the whole race. The pace of opening up the cars for development has been measured so far but I expect that the manufacturers will now have their say as to how things go from here.
Thanks for details, guess there will always be restrictions etc, however it will become much more competitive with a more flexible platform for the factory teams. Season 2 kept the same chassis and battery but opened up development on motor and transmission. There were teams racing with 1,2,3 and 5 speed gearboxes coupled to single or twin motors in various longitudinal layouts.
Season 3 is similar with many of the teams heavily revising their setups.
I am not sure what else may be opened up in season 4 but from season 5 there should be an all-new car with a McClaren battery capable of lasting the whole race. The pace of opening up the cars for development has been measured so far but I expect that the manufacturers will now have their say as to how things go from here.
Still however I can't get my head around it and don't think I ever will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hamaRwRuhyM
I never watched this live, wasn't quite old enough but give me a 300hp BTCC car on a street circuit over FE anyday
The big problem with Formula E is that it does not work on a proper RACING CIRCUIT, the street races that they have now make the cars "look" fast but in reality they are (currently anyway) VERY SLOW !
Imagine one of those at Silverstone it would just look plain silly.
Despite all the manufacturers in the series, it seems to me that the crowds (?) I have seen have been pitiful - not a sponsors or car manufacturers dream as would be required to sustain a championship.
So it will rely on TV cash to support it, and that means pay per view - would you pay to watch it ??
Bob
Imagine one of those at Silverstone it would just look plain silly.
Despite all the manufacturers in the series, it seems to me that the crowds (?) I have seen have been pitiful - not a sponsors or car manufacturers dream as would be required to sustain a championship.
So it will rely on TV cash to support it, and that means pay per view - would you pay to watch it ??
Bob
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