Formula E Beijing

[designndrive62]

Dissappointed by the lack of interest in here for Formula E. This is the start of something that could become a big part of motorsport in the future. The grid is pretty dam good as well, with some great drivers. I don't think they have got everything right, but it's a good start and should be more interesting once they can start developing their own cars.

Anyway, round one in an hour. Anyone else up and watching?

[designndrive62]

groomi said:

What channel is it on?

Itv 4. On now, race at about 9am

[designndrive62]

Adrian W said:

This program is painful

Agree at the moment it's not exactly the slickest, b it's early days and at least we have Jennie Gow presenting who has genuine motorsport interest, rather than a presenter that doesn't have a clue. Will be interesting to see who the commentary team are?

[designndrive62]

Regiment said:

If they really cared about electric racing, they'd have cars with the choice of all wheel drive and all wheel steering, no rules when it comes to batteries and 1 car per driver with the race having to last 30 minutes, which increases to 90 minutes as the years go on, forcing innovation with charging tech and battery tech. Formula 1 cars look the way they do because they need to have an engine, a gearbox, driveshafts, etc, you get none of those requirements for electric cars so why do they look like a champ car?

If they cared about racing, the idea of giving a driver an unfair advantage based entirely around their twitter followers would have been laughed off the planet and clean into orbit.

The organisers have showed me nothing at all that interests me, from the technology to the racing.

I agree with your comments about the aesthetics of the cars, they have missed an opportunity to create a unique car with the change to electric power trains. I don't know how open the rules are for next year when the teams are allowed to develop their own cars or if the rules will be quite restrictive?

[designndrive62]

I have to say I'm impressed that they got a twenty car grid. Hopefully it stays full through the year and we don't have teams drop out. All cars seem to have got going at last

[designndrive62]

Fire99 said:

It kinda looks like a Radio Controlled Car race but with the 'Zoom' button pressed a few times on the TV Remote.

The sound will take some getting used to as well! Exciting first couple of laps, chicanes have been designed a little too tight I think maybe?

[designndrive62]

It's not going to be for everyone I guess but I'm enjoying it so far. Actually quite good racing down the pack and everyone pretty close together.

[designndrive62]

There seems to be a huge difference in the battery left for the drivers getting to half distance, I guess if you treat the first car a bit kinder and go a bit slower, but just enough to hang on to the front you can go longer then you could really hammer the second car without too many worries?

[designndrive62]

Oh st! Hope nicks ok! Pic was an idiot...

[designndrive62]

At least we know the cars arer strong!

[designndrive62]

REALIST123 said:

Pic?

Haha sorry Prost!

[designndrive62]

REALIST123 said:

Yeah, just wondered if you meant 'prick'!

Haha the thought must have been there somewhere!

On another note I enjoyed that, some really good racing (apart from the end!) Sam bird must be feeling very lucky! The cars could maybe do with more power, but actually the fact that they are a bit down on power means that momentum is so important and that drivers cannot just plant the throttle to get out of mistakes.

[designndrive62]

Blayney said:

Pretty sure I read that the first season is spec. From second season onwards it is a formula series.

Yep from next year teams can develop their own cars, which is when the organisers hope range and performance will improve though I don't know how they will regulate this. I don't think any regulations have been released to the public about next year

[designndrive62]

JonRB said:

I agree; it did seem rather lacking in urgency. They really need to address that.

There is a minimum pit lane time but it's poorly thought out. Rather than a mandatory stationary time, there is a. Minimum time you must be in the pit lane from, from entry to exit, hence why we saw some cars sat in the pit waiting for the moment they could leave and then wouldn't cross the pit exit before the time. However I believe Heidfeld jumped into the car as quick as possible and then Slowed dramatically just before the pit exit, to increase his pit time, this also slowed everyone else up behind him, hence how Prost got such a big lead after pit stops. They should really just say that the driver change should take 'x' amount of seconds, rather than overall time in pit lane.