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Formula E - Post Season chat


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#201 chrisPB15

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Posted 10 July 2015 - 19:49

I know on any forum there's a danger of being branded a 'troll' as soon as you voice an opinion that is even slightly critical of something - but what the heck, I'll post my thoughts.

 

 

But otherwise, I had to laugh at Branson's comment that in five years it'll be more popular than F1. To base that on just one season of racing is ridiculous anyway, but additionally I think the series has a long way to go to win over the majority of racing fans. I watched this first series just to see what it was like, but will I be tuning in again next season? Ehh...I'm not to sure, really.

 

Your danger was not listening to or reading what Branson said in full.

He did not base his view on one season of FE, a season that everyone involved understood to be a pilot season far from the end product. You're basically insinuating that RB is naive and stupid, it's a fact that he is not.

 

Your'e blatantly not the new generation of fan who FE is trying to bring the show to. I'd be interested in knowing which motorsport events you'll be attending next year as the majority are suffering with falling attendances, whereas FE hit the ground running.

What FE must not do is try to copy any existing Formula if it's to be more popular "in terms of number of people"


Edited by chrisPB15, 10 July 2015 - 19:51.


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#202 Peter0Scandlyn

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Posted 11 July 2015 - 04:42

I must have missed something.....surely there has only been one season of FE? 

(It was a loooong season too, I thought).

 

Please share what RB did base his view on.



#203 BRG

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Posted 11 July 2015 - 17:57

 

Please share what RB did base his view on.

Branson is a master of promotion and salesmanship.  He doesn't need any substance on which to base his claims.  For instance, he has persuaded people to pay a fortune for space flights in a vehicle that has yet to work properly.



#204 ShivyF1

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 12:28

Indeed. That's why I found Branson's comments all the more baffling.

 

The thing F1 has in its favour over FE is obviously the speed of the cars, the history and heritage of the sport, the iconic tracks and having several of the very best drivers in the world. If Formula E is to become a credible rival to F1 in the near future, it needs some of those things, and I'm not sure they can be achieved as quickly as within five years. It'll perhaps take more than double that, and who knows what advances in technology will have been made by then?

 

Anyway, it'll be interesting to follow its progress. The series certainly does seem to be run with a lot of common sense, which is definitely a refreshing change in motorsport at the moment!

Formula E is all about the location.  People who go to traditional motorsport venues know the hotels are miles away.  As for Branson, its all PR talk, I believe in FE, but it will no way overtake Formula 1, I don't think its possible, unless F1 stops


Edited by ShivyF1, 13 July 2015 - 12:30.


#205 Disgrace

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 13:35

Branson is a master of promotion and salesmanship.  He doesn't need any substance on which to base his claims.  For instance, he has persuaded people to pay a fortune for space flights in a vehicle that has yet to work properly.

 

Could be worse...



#206 BRG

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 16:12

Mars One is probably being run from that pizza parlour in Salt Lake City!



#207 Fatgadget

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 16:20

Branson is a master of promotion and salesmanship.  He doesn't need any substance on which to base his claims.  For instance, he has persuaded people to pay a fortune for space flights in a vehicle that has yet to work properly.

He does have the 'midas' touch though! 



#208 BRG

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 16:26

He does have the 'midas' touch though! 

Oh, indeed he does, and I have the greatest respect for his entrepreneurial spirit and for his ability to find new ways to approach existing businesses.

 

But you don't have to take everything he says as gospel when he is in full promotional mode.



#209 Fatgadget

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 17:05

Formula E is all about the location.  People who go to traditional motorsport venues know the hotels are miles away.  As for Branson, its all PR talk, I believe in FE, but it will no way overtake Formula 1, I don't think its possible, unless F1 stops

A bit like hot rod and banger racing and indeed speedway racing in and around metropolitan London not that long ago.Who remembers Haringay and Wimbledon and Crayford stadiums?..Always used to be packed.But noise and property values saw to the demise. FE is clean,noise free - relatively -  a god send promotion wise and on your door step!..sure,not everyone lives in the city,but you can justify making a weekend of it ..visiting Brick lane or Peckham  for instance while there! :D


Edited by Fatgadget, 13 July 2015 - 17:06.


#210 BRG

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 17:37

A bit like hot rod and banger racing and indeed speedway racing in and around metropolitan London not that long ago.Who remembers Haringay and Wimbledon and Crayford stadiums?..Always used to be packed.But noise and property values saw to the demise.

 

Rumours of the demise of Wimbledon Stadium may be premature...



#211 JHSingo

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Posted 13 July 2015 - 23:25

Your danger was not listening to or reading what Branson said in full.

He did not base his view on one season of FE, a season that everyone involved understood to be a pilot season far from the end product. You're basically insinuating that RB is naive and stupid, it's a fact that he is not.

 

Your'e blatantly not the new generation of fan who FE is trying to bring the show to. I'd be interested in knowing which motorsport events you'll be attending next year as the majority are suffering with falling attendances, whereas FE hit the ground running.

What FE must not do is try to copy any existing Formula if it's to be more popular "in terms of number of people"

 

So what did he base it on? Dream land and fantasy, perhaps? An ability to see into the future, that no-one else has? Because, for all the troubles F1 faces currently, there's no way in hell that FE is going to even come close to challenging F1 in terms of viewership, any time soon. That's reality. And, as the only thing we have to base such talk on is one season, then it does come across as a rather silly comment.

 

Perhaps I'm being overly cynical. But we've seen a fair share of new start up championships, that talked of great things and were alright for a season or two, (A1GP/Superleague Formula) come and go. I was reading Autosport's season report on Formula E a couple of days ago. What I wasn't aware of (and I guess, therefore, that many others were also not aware of) was the financial problems the series was facing after a couple of rounds. Had they not secured investment, the series may have collapsed before the season was out. So, you know, it's great making comments like Branson did - but the fact is, none of us know what the future holds, none of us are Doctor Who. :p

 

Formula E may go on to become a huge success. Equally, in a couple of years some new technology may come along that makes electric vehicles seem like yesterday's news.

 

"FE hit the ground running" - well, that's as maybe. But season two will be the real barometer to see whether it has captured the public's imagination. I dare say a lot of people went along to the races just to see what it was all about, this new concept. In several locations, it may have attracted crowds just for people's interests to see motor racing in person, and nothing to do with what was powering the cars. Will they return next season? Again, we just don't know. A1GP attracted decent crowds where it went in its first few seasons too.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm bashing Formula E just because I have a thing against electric vehicles or whatever - it's just like I said in my original post, I found Branson's comment at best laughable, and at worst, ridiculous. But as others have rightly said, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised given his involvement in the series. He's bound to want to talk it up as much as possible, no matter how silly those comments turn out to be.


Edited by JHSingo, 13 July 2015 - 23:28.


#212 BCM

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 06:57

Who cares what Branson said? Can we talk about the series rather than about someone talking about the series? It's like a soap opera on this board sometimes. Maybe it should be renamed Househusbands of Autosport....

 

I'm very interested in seeing what the freedoms in the drivetrain bring for this season. Will we see someone gain a technological edge through developing a more efficient drivetrain? ie one that allows them to run faster longer?



#213 king_crud

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 13:55

but you can justify making a weekend of it ..visiting Brick lane or Peckham  for instance while there! :D


Us Peckham types don't want to no tourists in our hood. The council might clean the streets, we can't have that.

#214 ShivyF1

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Posted 14 July 2015 - 16:13

Well season 2 testing is well underway for a lot of the teams, a lot going on in Spain.  Can't wait until the official tests...less than a month!



#215 midgrid

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 08:16

Autosport's end-of-season top ten drivers:
 
1. Nelson Piquet
2. Lucas di Grassi
3. Sébastien Buemi
4. Jérôme d'Ambrosio
5. Jean-Éric Vergne
6. Sam Bird
7. Nicolas Prost
8. Nick Heidfeld
9. António Félix da Costa
10. Scott Speed

#216 maximilian

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 12:43

Autosport's end-of-season top ten drivers:
 
1. Nelson Piquet
2. Lucas di Grassi
3. Sébastien Buemi
4. Jérôme d'Ambrosio
5. Jean-Éric Vergne
6. Sam Bird
7. Nicolas Prost
8. Nick Heidfeld
9. António Félix da Costa
10. Scott Speed

 

Sounds about right, although not sure Speed should take Duval's place in the top-10.  If they go that way, then Montagny did an overall more impressive job than Speed!  ;)



#217 ShivyF1

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 12:55

Hey guys!  I'm currently developing the print shop from season 1 of all my shots.  Wanted to ask fans a few questions and maybe let some product test the shop to see if it works well or if there are any improvements I could make.  I'm hoping to finish the basics of the shop by tomorrow!

 

If anyones interested, do drop me an email (me@shivrajgohil.com).

 

Thanks!



#218 chrisPB15

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 18:04

So what did he base it on? Dream land and fantasy, perhaps? An ability to see into the future, that no-one else has? Because, for all the troubles F1 faces currently, there's no way in hell that FE is going to even come close to challenging F1 in terms of viewership, any time soon. That's reality. And, as the only thing we have to base such talk on is one season, then it does come across as a rather silly comment.

 

Perhaps I'm being overly cynical. But we've seen a fair share of new start up championships, that talked of great things and were alright for a season or two, (A1GP/Superleague Formula) come and go. I was reading Autosport's season report on Formula E a couple of days ago. What I wasn't aware of (and I guess, therefore, that many others were also not aware of) was the financial problems the series was facing after a couple of rounds. Had they not secured investment, the series may have collapsed before the season was out. So, you know, it's great making comments like Branson did - but the fact is, none of us know what the future holds, none of us are Doctor Who. :p

 

Formula E may go on to become a huge success. Equally, in a couple of years some new technology may come along that makes electric vehicles seem like yesterday's news.

 

"FE hit the ground running" - well, that's as maybe. But season two will be the real barometer to see whether it has captured the public's imagination. I dare say a lot of people went along to the races just to see what it was all about, this new concept. In several locations, it may have attracted crowds just for people's interests to see motor racing in person, and nothing to do with what was powering the cars. Will they return next season? Again, we just don't know. A1GP attracted decent crowds where it went in its first few seasons too.

 

I don't want to sound like I'm bashing Formula E just because I have a thing against electric vehicles or whatever - it's just like I said in my original post, I found Branson's comment at best laughable, and at worst, ridiculous. But as others have rightly said, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised given his involvement in the series. He's bound to want to talk it up as much as possible, no matter how silly those comments turn out to be.

 

 

For someone with a lot to say, I'm surprised you didn't listen properly to or even research what Branson said in the first place. The same with the other naysayers on here who are all blatantly clueless to the current state of motorsport.

 

 

The biggy that you all missed was that he regards ICE engines as 'antiquated technology'.   "I personally think things are going to move that rapidly now," he added. "What goes on in a petrol-driven engined is really complicated and antiquated and out of date and polluting."  and he's right.

 

Also... "As time goes on, the clean energy-type of businesses are going to power ahead of other businesses."      "dreamland", "fantasy" and a "silly comment" you say?   sales of electric cars have quadropled in 2 years, the Tesla P85D was described by Top Gear as "a paragrim shift in motoring" and "This car asks some pretty serious questions of conventionally fuelled performance machines. Whatever follows might just render them all but redundant.

http://www.topgear.c...5dr/first-drive

 

equally the majority who drive an electric vehicle realise it's a leap above what they were driving before. 

 

 

As for the "5 years statement"  he wont be right, but he had no choice. It's just a happy medium number that will keep people interested and guessing. He couldn't possibly have said 10 years.

 

When mocking Branson's business savvy, also consider he accepted payment of $250,000 in BITCOIN and stated that he thinks the coin's value would continue to rise, also stating he would be cashing them in as not to look like a pump and dumper. The price rose approx $300.

 

 

Anyway. Below is an interesting article regarding the state of motorsport. A state that the naysayers appear totally blind to, during their heavy criticism.

 

http://www.motorspor...k-to-formula-e/

 

 

“We’re losing the fans. And I have to say as an industry we are not going anywhere in the next decade unless they come back. Those who are trying to earn a living in motor sport, in the commercial business, will have no future without fans, because without them you have no sponsors and no investment. We’re losing them hand over fist, not helped by you-know-who… We’ve got nothing without them.”

 

"The country where fans always come first lost its IndyCar audience long ago (just 3000 witnessed the incredible, plain terrifying ‘pack race’ at the Fontana oval in California last weekend), but even the religion that is NASCAR has not escaped the decline

 

"I continue to be dumbfounded how so many long-time racing aficionados dismiss and denigrate Formula E because it apparently goes against everything they believe motor racing should be. They are missing the point, belligerently so "

 

"The backlash has been predictable, and frankly it’s boring. Motor racing can be so repetitive and conservative, its hard-core community refusing to accept that maybe, in a world that is increasingly hard to relate to, there might need to be new ways of attracting people through the gates. It’s almost as if they want to keep the sport for themselves, a sport unsullied by the interest of a wider public ignorant of how it used to be…

That’s selfish "


Edited by chrisPB15, 15 July 2015 - 19:17.


#219 chrisPB15

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 18:11

I must have missed something.....surely there has only been one season of FE? 

(It was a loooong season too, I thought).

 

Please share what RB did base his view on.

 

Yes missed it, probably because like the other naysayers, you refuse to accept in a selfish way that Formula E has a place in motorsport.  Branson like many others, described the internal combustion engine as "antiquated technology" which was one of the biggies in how he feels about FE's future.

 

You've all latched on to the "5 years time" thing and wrongly claimed he's basing it on what he saw on track. But during the same conferrence,  he said:

 

"As time goes on, the clean energy-type of businesses are going to power ahead of other businesses."

 

"I personally think things are going to move that rapidly now," he added. "What goes on in a petrol-driven engined is really complicated and antiquated and out of date and polluting."

 

 

The funny thing is we have the knockers on here acting like Branson is a one off minority in his enthusiasm for the EV business, when almost everyone who's driven the race cars or road cars are pretty much in agreement that it's the future.

 

Top gear on Tesla's high performance model " P85D is jaw-dropping. This car asks some pretty serious questions of conventionally fuelled performance machines. Whatever follows might just render them all but redundant."

 

 

 

At the end of the day when we pay to watch motorsport, we are paying to watch someone richer than us self-indulging, until we get to the point of obscene ticket prices and team owners spending surpless cash on lavish Yachts. No wonder they're worried.

 

 

 

A good read.

 

http://www.motorspor...k-to-formula-e/


Edited by chrisPB15, 15 July 2015 - 19:06.


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#220 MaxScelerate

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Posted 15 July 2015 - 18:38



...

Equally, in a couple of years some new technology may come along that makes electric vehicles seem like yesterday's news.

...

This I very much doubt. Electricity is a mean of transport - not a source - for energy. While battery and plug-in technology would become obsolete if you were to get your hand on a Back To The Future -like Mr Fusion device, you would still need to transmit that power to the wheels. Electricity.