FIA Formula E Championship 2014-15

[Razzzor]

A1GP didn't ever have the lineup that Formula E is going to have.

[Go_For_Pole]

Well let's see. If anything the whole thing has more similarities with A1GP than differences. I would rather stay on the fence for the moment.

[Mekola]

An Argentinian is running a Formula E car today: Juan Manuel "Cochito" López. I expected the other López (the one who rocks in WTCC) here, but well, Cochito had F3 experience about 13-14 years ago. In Italian F3 suited well, in British F3 not.

[Mekola]

Thanks to Twitter user Current_E, we have a provisional list of teams and drivers who tested at Donington today. Heres the "Who's Who" info:

- Sam Bird and Jaime Alguersuari for Virgin
- Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna for Mahindra
- Daniel Abt and Lucas di Grassi for ABT – only Abt was driving
- Franck Montagny for Andretti
- Nico Prost for e.dams (the team co-founded by Alain Prost)
- Kevin Korjus and Antonio Felix da Costa for Super Aguri
- Nick Heidfeld for Venturi
- Jean-Karl Vernay for Drayson

Katherine Legge and Stoffel Vandoorne were also spotted at the track, though without any obvious links to teams. Juan Manuel Lopez was posting pictures on Twitter; he may have been driving a test car.

[champcarman]

May have already been covered but I am wondering how fast these cars will be?

As fast as F3 or faster?

With 200 kw (all stint?) they should do somewhere between F3/GP3 times and GP2 times, I would imagine,but they may be somewhat heavier than a conventional single seater

[kurski]

Adelaide’s famous parklands street circuit has emerged as a contender for a round of the new Formula E series as the electric open-wheel class looks to expand into Australia.

[Bodysnatcher]

and they're up and running
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/live.aspx

18 cars, 10 seconds or so off F3 pace round Donington GP circuit. Plenty of laps too.

[kurski]

in recent days announced driver contracts:
Dragon Racing driver is Mike Conway
Trulli GP drivers are Jarno Trulli and Michela Cerruti
Venturi Grand Prix drivers are Nick Heidfeld and Stephane Sarrazin
Amlin Aguri drivers are Katherine Legge an Antonio Felix da Costa
e.dams Renault drivers are Nicolas Prost and Sebastien Buemi

German automobile manufacturer BMW has announced that it is finalising a partnership as the official vehicle supplier to Formula E.

Super Nova to run TrulliGP Formula E team.

Formula E boss Alejandro Agag is so confident that the London fixture will go ahead in Battersea Park that he is refusing to discuss the championship's back-up plans for the race in the UK capital.

Facu Regalia said that the estimated proposals to race in Formula E.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by kurski

Facu Regalia said that the estimated proposals to race in Formula E.

That's exactly what I suggested to Facu in his press conference last February!

[ivanalesi]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

and they're up and running
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/live.aspx

18 cars, 10 seconds or so off F3 pace round Donington GP circuit. Plenty of laps too.

1:22.590 was Harvey's pole from 2012 and now di Grassi lowered Formula E's times to 1'31"973.
I think it has a lot to do with Michelin's involvement. If you put some extreme wet tires on the F3 car, I don't know, but it will be a lot slower. Having said that, the car looks very impressive!

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

1:22.590 was Harvey's pole from 2012 and now di Grassi lowered Formula E's times to 1'31"973.
I think it has a lot to do with Michelin's involvement. If you put some extreme wet tires on the F3 car, I don't know, but it will be a lot slower. Having said that, the car looks very impressive!

I think you'll find the slow lap times are down to there being a temporary chicane on the circuit. Without that, these cars would have been faster than F3.

[JackN]

They removed the tyre chicane at the end of the day.

I think the laptimes are reasonable. Same speed as a GT3 car round Donington - so not exactly slow. Then consider they are on hard, slightly grooved tyres, have less downforce than an F3 car, are not designed for hilly tracks or long straights, and I think it's pretty decent.

[Juarez Jed]

I see that the 2nd round in Putrajaya has been postponed.......... something to do with a shortage of extension cords and adaptor plugs perhaps ??

[Mekola]

Mi good friend Facundo Galella made a simulation of the 2015 Buenos Aires ePrix circuit of Formula E:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whWXqGnAlnQ

[Greem]

I was marshalling at Donington at the weekend.

Aside from the permanent Formula E buildings (HQ/Offices, team workshops and so on) they're also laying out and test building the entire Formula E travelling paddock.

I didn't take any photos, unfortunately (I was a bit preoccupied) but the entire paddock 2 & paddock 3 area is now taken up with the Formula E race control complex, the power generation platform for it, and the "tent city" marquee farm which the teams & hospitality will use.

The marquees are so big that the club racers there for the weekend had room enough to get most of their cars, vans & transporters inside.

It's a pretty impressive sight (and at the same time a pretty impressive site!). It's going to be a huge logistics operation, that's for sure.

[JimW]

Originally Posted by Juarez Jed

I see that the 2nd round in Putrajaya has been postponed.......... something to do with a shortage of extension cords and adaptor plugs perhaps ??

Moved to November 22nd.

Jim

[Mekola]

Nelsinho Piquet will test again for Team China. For his sake I don't want to see again stray dogs on tracks killed by his rivals anymore.

[chillibowl]

wow first race is rapidly approaching!

broadcasting question for any Canadians here. from what i have read Fox Sports will cover the races but as we dont get that channel does that mean we will get it on Speed Channel instead?

[Tucky]

The Formula E website has only released 4 networks which will cover the races and Canada's under Fox, but perhaps they'll release more info closer to the race. The website does say they should have more television rights coming so Speed may still be negotiating or something.

I'm surprised that it's only a month to the first race but I've seen no advertising for it whatsoever in the UK. Is it the same elsewhere around the world?

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Mekola

Mi good friend Facundo Galella made a simulation of the 2015 Buenos Aires ePrix circuit of Formula E:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whWXqGnAlnQ

Great work by him. Thanks for sharing Mekola.

[Rob29]

Planing to have a look at these things at Donigton on 19th to see if they are as bad as portrayed here,having been oferred a free ticket by the website.

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Tucky

The Formula E website has only released 4 networks which will cover the races and Canada's under Fox, but perhaps they'll release more info closer to the race. The website does say they should have more television rights coming so Speed may still be negotiating or something.

I'm surprised that it's only a month to the first race but I've seen no advertising for it whatsoever in the UK. Is it the same elsewhere around the world?

It has been regularly advertised during the BTCC meetings on ITV4..

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by Tucky

I'm surprised that it's only a month to the first race but I've seen no advertising for it whatsoever in the UK. Is it the same elsewhere around the world?

Originally Posted by BtccLee

It has been regularly advertised during the BTCC meetings on ITV4.

It's also been heavily advertised during other sport on ITV - including at half time in the Champions League final, and the World Cup, and during the Tour de France and French Open tennis.

[Rob29]

Anyone seen their free ticket for Tuesday test? Was promised by e-mail but no sign yet.

[Deleted]

So... the championship is kicking off this weekend and I don't see particularly high hype here or in other forums or respected media. Even teams like Andretti Autosport have nothing recent to say about in on their official page or FB account, it's like 'whatever'. In fact I too had already forgotten it and found out it was starting now by pure coincidence. Smells like Formula 2.

So single day event in China it is. You know I was a fan of A1GP and Superleague Formula had some interesting ideas, so weird format like this could work. Maybe. While the cars are... what they are the fanboost is one of the silliest fake gimmicks anywhere, the overall format has some promise in it I think? Street circuits on uncharted territories is probably the most interesting aspect

Guess I need to watch this first event at least