FIA Formula E Championship 2014-15

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

Thanks. Re: the speed thing - honestly, now that you've made me think about it, I don't know. You make a very good point about the cars being in a different setting, but with all of the walls and scenery being so close on a street course I'd have expected that to make things seem faster, not slower. I've had another look at some of the YouTube highlights and I can't put my finger on it. There's a certain level of 'impressive-ness' that should and usually does accompany seeing a vehicle designed mainly to go really, really fast doing it's thing (especially when they are taken out of their natural homes and put into the close confines of a city) and that quality just seemed a bit... lacking. I wonder if it is to do with the cars looking like they should be faster. I really like the way the cars look, and there are some very good liveries - maybe it's just that their actual pace hasn't yet caught up with their looks just yet...

I have to say the speed (the awful music is a given) was my only frustration. But even then, it was only certain camera angles and parts of the track. On the run down to the last corner they looked properly fast but on the main straight they appeared to be crawling along.

[wolfhound]

It appears FE will not use the Monaco GP track but a shortened version cutting out Casino Square, Mirabeau, Station harpin, Portier & the tunnel, whats left. Basically the circuit will turn even sharper right at St. Devote up towards the chicane, harpin right back to Tabac round by the swimming pool through La Rascasse and on to the start finish.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115918

I am wondering why they are going to use a short version of the track? It is now open to conspiracy theories. Is because their times will be too slow, or has Bernie said something somewhere?

[wolfhound]

A premlinary vote is to be taken next week by the local council next week as to whether the Battersea Park FE race can go ahead. This seems to be the first of a number of stages before the race gets the all clear.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115927

Wonder when the NIMBY's will appear?

[kipper]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

I am wondering why they are going to use a short version of the track? It is now open to conspiracy theories. Is because their times will be too slow, or has Bernie said something somewhere?

I seem to recall reading something when the Monaco race was first mooted that the level of power required to get up the hill to Casino Square would be too great for the cars. If not a technical reason, it makes sense to use a different circuit as the same configuration would invite unnecessary and probably unhelpful comparisons with F1 cars.

[JohnMiller]

That hairpin will be tight!

[Go_For_Pole]

What do you make of the series John?

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

I am wondering why they are going to use a short version of the track? It is now open to conspiracy theories. Is because their times will be too slow, or has Bernie said something somewhere?

More laps, like DTM?

Originally Posted by JohnMiller

That hairpin will be tight!

Same as any other hairpin at Monaco.

[p-matt]

It'll be to avoid lap time comparison with other series'. FE seem utterly paranoid about that.

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

What do you make of the series John?

I enjoyed it on the TV with a couple of caveats being the pitstops and the green flag lap.

Bit like a cross between motor racing and city-centre cycling.

And that Monaco chicane will be way tighter than the traditional one!

[JimW]

Originally Posted by kipper

I seem to recall reading something when the Monaco race was first mooted that the level of power required to get up the hill to Casino Square would be too great for the cars. If not a technical reason, it makes sense to use a different circuit as the same configuration would invite unnecessary and probably unhelpful comparisons with F1 cars.

The level of power too great. Which idiot wrote this? They have between 202 and 270 bhp and a gearbox to deliver that at an appropriate torque/speed combinatiion.



Jim

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

Aside from the relatively low speed of the cars, that's what damages Formula E as a platform for electric vehicles, for me. What happens after this season will be much more interesting, but for now, Formula E informs me that electric cars are slow and won't get far before you need to jump out.

When you watch F1 do you think "I'll never put Pirelli tyres on my car - they only last 60 miles."

[Paradise City]

Originally Posted by sceptic

When you watch F1 do you think "I'll never put Pirelli tyres on my car - they only last 60 miles."

Yes but FE specifically trades on the viability of electricity.

I didn't sense the problem from the TV though. They seemed fast enough. It was a good showcase for how electricity is moving forward from the pov of tv audiences. Might have been less impressive from trackside mind you .

[gomick]

I read that Formula E could visit the streets of Adelaide with the V8 Supercar Series

[wolfhound]

It looks like FE would like to build to 18 races per season. They are already planning 12 for next season. However they want to build over a number of years.
Lets see how it goes for the next few seasons.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116095

[kurski]

FIA Formula E race in Finland is possibility. It would probably be in Helsinki and there would be a Finnish driver.

[Formulahistory]

Must be Heikki Kovalainen

[chillibowl]

a little over a month since the inaugural race with a little over a month until the next one.

havent heard much news other then a suggestion or two about more races and their website seems to have more news items regarding other racing series then it does about its own.

for all the savvy they showed in building up to the first race i am a bit surprised they have let things cool so much during this break between races.

[Xpunk75]

Hey everyone,

I haven't been on here in quite sometime but I've been busy getting into pod-casting as of late. I currently do a pod-cast on comic books and I just started a new Pod-Cast on E-Prix. I'm not an engineer or a mechanic but I've had a love for racing since I was 5 years old and I found a friend who was willing to give E-Prix a shot and do a Pod-Cast on it with me.

The basis of the show is to cover each race and the series as a whole. I'm the knowledgeable old school race fan and John my co-host is the newbie who is getting into racing for the first time. We're hoping that our pairing will make for interesting conversation and good listening.

I was hoping to get some constructive criticism from some of the toughest critique's in the racing community. If you have time please give the show a listen and leave us some feedback. We want to improve the show and attempt to bring the best content we possibly can.

Thanks

http://www.podbros.com/podcast/eprix-talk#.VDtBEhYXNPY

[canamman]

In Malaysia this weekend.
Check your local listings for tv coverage.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I didn't see the race, my alarm didn't go off because I didn't turn it on

But congrats to Mr Bird. Will be watching the highlights at 6pm on ITV4 so I know what happened.

But those cars are strong...

[JoestForEver]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I didn't see the race, my alarm didn't go off because I didn't turn it on

But congrats to Mr Bird. Will be watching the highlights at 6pm on ITV4 so I know what happened.

But those cars are strong...

Frank "the lunatic" Montagny pushing everyone out, weird drive-through for "energy infringement" for Trulli, and last lap last corner accident again. Only this time Bruno Senna gets no one else involved.

[Tja]

Originally Posted by JoestForEver

Frank "the lunatic" Montagny pushing everyone out, weird drive-through for "energy infringement" for Trulli, and last lap last corner accident again. Only this time Bruno Senna gets no one else involved.

And a pretty ugly one at that. Only once they crash you realize they are still pretty fast, even though they don't always look like it.
I thought it was a pretty decent race today, not so much passing, but some good fights nonetheless. I also liked the circuit. Bumpy and some fast corners, but still a few overtaking opportunities. Looked like a good crowd as well, they seemed to have forgotten to build up a few more grandstands though.
Only downside for me (apart from noise and speed, but I can live with that) was the mess up during the first SC period.

What do you think of the new warm up procedure before the start? No warm up lap seems to be a good idea after what we saw at Beijing. It just seems a bit risky to me to let them start with effectively cold brakes I think that may have caught out some of the drivers today.

[JackN]

The formation lap was so slow that they hardly built brake temperature anyway. We didn't really see many dramas because of it today.

[JoestForEver]

The layout is not bad I'd say. Still a bit too tight for on track action but much better than Beijing. The pitlane is better constructed but still the mandatory pitstop, at least from where I see on TV, is a total mess with mechanics and cars all over the pitlane, definitely not good for safety. Also it seems that drivers just push much harder this round, lots of lock-ups.
It seems like fan-boost now rather looks like fan-curse isn't it? I mean, Legge, Heidfeld and Senna. None of them made it to the flag.

[tux]

Only thing i found today with not having a formation lap is that you seem to lose some of the anticipation for the start.