624 replies to this topic

[thegamer23]

 

 

    

 

 

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A NEW ERA 
OF ELECTRIC RACING

 

 

 

 

This season, Formula E is taking a step further into the Motorsport legacy. 
The all-electric serie is ready to write history with the debut of the Generation 2 car: a more powerful, more aggressive, longer lasting electric car that will change the way of watching Formula E. 

New cars, new circuits, new rules, new constructors, new faces: the Season 5 of Formula E will feel like a brand new start.  

 

The SRT05e was designed by Spark Technologies under FIA's instructions, utilizing a Dallara chassis. 

This is a low drag, electric beast: every angle of it is designed for the maximum aero efficency: covered front wheels, no rear wing (except for two, adjustable flaps). 
Along with the more powerful battery (+50 kW), this leads to an increase of more than 50 km/h in Top Speed (from 220 to 280 km/h). 

Combined with a F1-esque 0-100 km/h acceleration (2.8 sec), those cars are set to improve lap Gen 1 lap times by 3-4 seconds! 

 

 

 

 

But Formula E has been around for FOUR SEASONS already!
Started out quiet (     ), slowly getting momentum race after race, season after season. The e-naugural one was one by Nelson Piquet Jr in a dramatic London's season finale. 

 

Season 2 was more composed and saw a Renault e.Dams dominance: Sebastien Buemi was untouchable for most of the season but lost important points in the final few races. Lucas Di Grassi tried a desperate move in the Season Finale, (London again) launching his Audi into the back of the rival's Renault. 

Season 3 saw Buemi losing the Title (& the temper) at the last race of the Season. In the streets of Montreal, the swissman faded under pressure: crashed out in the free practice, he was unable to join qualifying & to score big points while Di Grassi finished on podium in both races!
The Brazilian managed to win the championship, & Buemi went crazy in a LEGENDARY post-race tyrade! 

Guess what? Frijns is back this season!

 

 

Last but not least: Season 4. 
Jean Eric Vergne's masterpiece: the frenchmen didn't put a foot wrong all season long with his Black-Gold Techeetah, destroying Sam Bird's resistence in the New York's Season Finale with a classic comeback from 20th to 5th & a Race win! 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT'S NEW
All the Season 5's Regulation changes

 

 

- SUPERPOLE: Now for 6 drivers (given the grid has expanded to 22 drivers)

- TIMED RACE: 45 minutes + 1 lap. 
- NO CAR SWAPS/PIT STOPS: the Gen 2 cars can manage completing an entire race distance without problems

- FANBOOST: a + 25 kW temporary boost available for the Top 5 drivers in the votings

- ATTACK MODE: The only real"strategic" element of this new generation of Formula E. 

 

This deserves a little bit of time for explanation. It's a crossover between Joker Lap & Push To Pass. 
From the second lap onwards, drivers can activate, for only one time, a  +25 kW boost by running over an activation zone (outside the ideal trajectory, down the main straight).

Attack Mode can be combined with Fanboost in order to achieve a 250 kW power mode in race, for a limited period of time.

Details: https://e-racing365....k-mode-details/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPOTTER GUIDE
BEACAUSE IT'S COOL!

 

Check out Alex Stanger designs: https://twitter.com/alexstanger1993

From top left to bottom right: Techeetah DS, Audi, BMW, Nissan, Mahindra, Virgin, Venturi, Jaguar, HWA AG, NIO, Dragon Racing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE CIRCUIT
A BRAND NEW ONE ACTUALLY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formula E's Gen 2 kicks off with a very unique circuit. Built around the Old town of Riyadh, the Formula E track mixes classic, tight, FE sections with a very unusual sector of fast sweepers & bends. 
 

 

Jerome D'Ambrosio --> This is definitely not a classic Formula E track that we have used before, especially all the way from turn 1 to turn 14 which will be a lot of part-throttle and high speed for Formula E 

 

Waiting for some virtual laps 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RACE SCHEDULE & TIMETABLE

SATURDAY 15th

 

(UK TIMES)

4.00 - Free Practice 1 [45 minutes]
6.05 - Free Practice 2 [30 minutes]
7.50 - Quali [groups + superpole, 1 hour]

12.05 - e-Prix of Riyadh [45 minutes]
 

 

This season, the Formula E coverage is set to reach impressive heights!

BBC Red Button, Eurosport, BT Sport, YouTube, Quest, iPlayer, Facebook, there are no more excuses to miss it!    
 

On Facebook & YouTube you can catch up with the Friday's Shakedown session & Free Practices LIVE! 
 

On Germany, all the championship will be shown on RTD & ZDF. 
In Italy, all the championship will be shown on Mediaset Italia 1/2. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TV LISTINGS: https://www.fiaformu...sion=qualifying

 

 

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Edited by thegamer23, 13 December 2018 - 13:13.

[NorwegianRudo]

Great thread! Really looking forward to the season. Hoping some of the newcomers are able to mix it up front this season.

[Rupert]

This series is a big joke, imho, and it is set to be even more artificial on season 5. More push to pass buttons, crappy street circuits forcing cars to go at Virtual safety car speed, uggly cars and an irritating hype that I don't get.   

[Rjpscr]

This series is a big joke, imho, and it is set to be even more artificial on season 5. More push to pass buttons, crappy street circuits forcing cars to go at Virtual safety car speed, uggly cars and an irritating hype that I don't get.   

Then why you posting in here if you think its a big joke. 

[thegamer23]

25 minutes preview show!

[Vielleicht]

Brilliant opening post! If anyone is new here my recommendation is use Gamer's inspired inclusion of past championship fights as a springboard to get a feel for the personalities and histories involded in the championship - that's your best chance of 'sticking' with it imo.

[sportyskells]

I wonder who will be the 1st driver(s) to cause a SC/red flag? 

[Disgrace]

The gap between the end of IndyCar and start of Formula E is my off-season. So good to have a single seater series back with track limits and a positive vibe around the championship.

[dweller23]

Then why you posting in here if you think its a big joke. 

Well, maybe he just wants to give his opinion about it, because it's a discussion forum where people can have different opinions? I dunno.

[Ben1445]

The gap between the end of IndyCar and start of Formula E is my off-season. So good to have a single seater series back with track limits and a positive vibe around the championship.

Yes! That might be what’s driven me further from F1 - a seemingly unrelenting sense of moaning and negativity.

I’m looking forward to FE this year, feels like a bit of a coming of age relatively speaking, but we must remember it’s still early days so let’s see how it goes

[jonpollak]

I'll give it yet another chance.

[f1paul]

This series is a big joke, imho, and it is set to be even more artificial on season 5. More push to pass buttons, crappy street circuits forcing cars to go at Virtual safety car speed, uggly cars and an irritating hype that I don't get.   

And yet FE is still better than the 'pinnacle of motorsport' that is F1.

 

Edited by f1paul, 09 December 2018 - 12:31.

[jonpollak]

Ooohhh.. Dems is fightin' words boy.

[ANF]

BBC Red Button, Eurosport, BT Sport, YouTube, Quest, iPlayer, Facebook, there are no more excuses to miss it!   [/size] [/size]

Full list of How to watch options: http://www.fiaformul...ip/tv-schedule/
€urosport is the only option in many European countries.

[itsgreen84]

I am quite interested in seeing which journalists are going to get killed... and how! Exciting!

 

btw good OP.

Edited by itsgreen84, 09 December 2018 - 12:59.

[sportyskells]

Why bring that up when the fuss went away ages ago? 

[thegamer23]

I am quite interested in seeing which journalists are going to get killed... and how! Exciting!

btw good OP.

 

Well, F1 is used to race a few meters away from one of Brazil's worst Favelas in Sao Paolo; they even had races in Bahrain during some local conflicts under dictatorial regimes.

Unfortunately, no country is perfect, skeletons could be in every country's closet. 
Motorsport kinda tend to show a distorted image of the local reality...

------

Back to topic!

I've just heard something interesting from a technical expert & engineer during a FE preview show on Mediaset.

Gen 2's development roadmap is to reach 400 cv (295 kW) power before switching to Gen 3.


Make sense, as they did this already for Gen 1, raising the power bar season after season!

That's only the beginning  

Edited by thegamer23, 09 December 2018 - 16:52.

[maximilian]

Should be an interesting debut of the Gen2 era.  I suspect the Attack Mode will bomb at first, listening to the drivers who attempted it in testing - could be that it's just too hard to get it to engage (and honestly, why go through all that chicanery, pressing the button several times etc.) - could be that a few will try it, lose oodles of time, and never get it working... and then don't try again for fear of losing even more time?  Anyways, let's see.  FWIW, it should be as simple as passing through a "gate" in a side lane, or similar.

 

With that and the unknown race distance, I think we'll be in for some good chaos at least in the first couple of races! 

 

Also hope that it won't be dominated by one team or another.  BMW looked uncomfortably strong in testing.

[Vielleicht]

Back to topic!

I've just heard something interesting from a technical expert & engineer during a FE preview show on Mediaset.

Gen 2's development roadmap is to reach 400 cv (295 kW) power before switching to Gen 3.

That is very interesting and very cool, thanks.

 

I look forward to seeing the progression continue as it did with Gen1.

[NorwegianRudo]

I've just heard something interesting from a technical expert & engineer during a FE preview show on Mediaset.

Gen 2's development roadmap is to reach 400 cv (295 kW) power before switching to Gen 3.


Make sense, as they did this already for Gen 1, raising the power bar season after season!

That's only the beginning  

 

Very interesting. Makes you wonder what kind of levels they can reach with the gen 3 batteries if the gains aren't "wasted" on having to go twice as far...

[Nonesuch]

... a positive vibe around the championship.

 

They have to be, it's Saudi Arabia.

 

On a ... not more serious, but more racing-related note: I'm curious to see how this next iteration of these machines turns out.

 

The Halo is an obvious eye-sore, but if the better performance of the new car enables them to go through somewhat less terrible tracks that'll be a big plus.

Edited by Nonesuch, 09 December 2018 - 14:56.

[Vielleicht]

Makes you wonder what kind of levels they can reach with the gen 3 batteries if the gains aren't "wasted" on having to go twice as far...

 

[...] if the better performance of the new car enables them to go through somewhat less terrible tracks that'll be a big plus.

 
 
Seems an appropriate couple of notes on which to re-iterate Agag's recent thoughts on speed developments from the Season 5 thread:
 

"I have my own view on Gen3, which is I'd like cars with lighter batteries, ultra-fast charging and two pit-stops. You get more power, or even the same power with 100kg less of battery, maybe. So performance goes up and you showcase ultra-fast charging technology and you have-pit stops [where you would] have maybe 60 seconds, and as much juice as they can charge in those 60 seconds that will be their advantage."

https://www.motorspo...easons/4308923/
 

"I think generation four or five can be at the same level as the Formula One cars today.”
 
“I think when the performance is there, we need to provide a platform, a laboratory for these electric cars to go to the limit. At the same time racing in cities is part of our DNA. I see maybe a hybrid situation in which we keep some races in the cities but we do maybe three, four, five at racetracks to allow these cars really to express themselves, to show their level of performance.”

https://uk.reuters.c...e-idUKKBN1O322K
 

Edited by Vielleicht, 09 December 2018 - 15:15.

[Pimpwerx]

They should cancel this event. Journalists everywhere should refuse covering any events held in Saudi Arabia, since the Kashoggi murder. I'm not surprised the FIA is running there. Bernie wasn't the only fan of despots in upper-management.

[thegamer23]

 

Edited by thegamer23, 09 December 2018 - 16:40.

[Kalmake]

They should cancel this event. Journalists everywhere should refuse covering any events held in Saudi Arabia, since the Kashoggi murder. I'm not surprised the FIA is running there. Bernie wasn't the only fan of despots in upper-management.

"Apolitical" as Bernie would say.

 

Even FIDE (chess) cancelled their event due to Israeli players being denied visas.

[OvDrone]

Gamer's passion for the series is an inspiration and a gift to all of us. Cheers

 

Great thread. Can't wait to see the final race of 2018. What a year it has been y'all.

[Ben1445]

To me, it's a massive oversimplification to simply say the race should be cancelled. It's a very complicated and sensitive balancing act and I do not envy those faced with making that decision. I don't want to get too bogged down in politics but it's also one of those things in life we cannot ignore - however tempting that may be. 

 

The motivation from Saudi Arabia to have the race is that it is part of the progressive Vision 2030. So on that front there is good (though arguably naïve) intent from FE's side in agreeing to have this race. How sincere or effective that Vision 2030 strategy is or will be is, in my opinion, far beyond the scope of this thread or forum. FE have rightly weighed up this situation and their decision is to hold the event, hoping it will lead to the best net outcome for all. I don't know if that is the right decision and chances are they aren't sure either. Which is why I do not envy them. 

 

In the meantime, I am looking forward to the race... during which my thoughts will be with the people of Saudi Arabia with hopes for their future. 

[Ben1445]

Gamer's passion for the series is an inspiration and a gift to all of us. Cheers

Absolutely. Who'd have thought a plucky little EV series so heavily criticised early on could end up having season threads, race threads, testing threads, silly season threads and more? That's only come about through passion and determination - everything a sport should encompass and inspire. In this case a lot of that can be traced to Gamer. So allow me to add my cheers as well...

[thegamer23]

Absolutely. Who'd have thought a plucky little EV series so heavily criticised early on could end up having season threads, race threads, testing threads, silly season threads and more? That's only come about through passion and determination - everything a sport should encompass and inspire. In this case a lot of that can be traced to Gamer. So allow me to add my cheers as well...

 

 

 

 

Thanks guys, but your contribute is equally if not more important than mine here!!
You can't reach 15 pages of discussion in the off-season thread without having equally passionate pepole around!    

 

Edit: another Dragon sneek peek

 

 

 

 

Will it be an electric Penske?

Edited by thegamer23, 09 December 2018 - 16:40.

[Vielleicht]

sniffermedia @sniffermedia
How the Attack Mode will work....or perhaps won't....depending on which driver you speak to! Expect some initial chaos in early races! Graphic: FIA #ABBFormulaE #AdDiriyahePrix

So the race control will provide a maximum number or 'armings' and a maximum number of activations some time shortly before the start of the race. Obviously the number of 'armings' would have to be at least the maximum number of activations but could be more? Also now not entriely clear if there's a minimum number of 'attack mode' instances they are required to use during the race. Could we end up with something like a maximum of 10 arming and 4 uses, with a minimum of using it at least once?

 

In any case it sounds chaotic. 

Edited by Vielleicht, 09 December 2018 - 17:06.

[thegamer23]

 

 

Forgot to write in the OP. 

This season FE will have a support category, the full electric Jaguar i-pace eTrophy!

I think (not sure tho) it will be all streamed on YouTube: saturday is going to be super busy!   

Edited by thegamer23, 09 December 2018 - 19:46.

[Vielleicht]

To answer my own question a little bit from reading through the sporting regulations:

 

"The number of activations, the number of periods of compulsory use and the minimum time of arming will be determined at each race by the FIA, according to the special features of the circuits, one hour before the start at the latest."

 

So, in conjunction with the diagram above which is an appendix to the sporting regulations, the variables we seem to have for each event are:

- a maximum number of 'arming' chances

- a maximum number of activations allowable to the drivers

- a minimum number of activations that must be used

- the time for which an activation lasts

[cheekybru]

Thank you for the informative op

Did De Grassi get the championship in season 2 then by crashing out Buemi? Really **** if true, they should have learnt from F1's mistakes

[Ben1445]

Thank you for the informative op

Did De Grassi get the championship in season 2 then by crashing out Buemi? Really **** if true, they should have learnt from F1's mistakes

He would have done had Buemi not gone out in the second car and taken some points for getting fastest lap. Daym that was a stressful race to watch. 

[Ben1445]

So, in conjunction with the diagram above which is an appendix to the sporting regulations, the variables we seem to have for each event are:

- a maximum number of 'arming' chances

- a maximum number of activations allowable to the drivers

- a minimum number of activations that must be used

- the time for which an activation lasts

Ok so that is actually much.... better (ha we'll see) than it first sounded. 

 

I was genuinely expecting it to be like a single mandatory pitstop/joker lap with more or less the same advantage/disadvantage for everyone. This sounds like it could be very strategic indeed.

Edited by Ben1445, 09 December 2018 - 20:08.

[OvDrone]

He would have done had Buemi not gone out in the second car and taken some points for getting fastest lap. Daym that was a stressful race to watch. 

 

Yeah but I was lol'ing hard throughout. DiGrassi came good the next year, to turn himself from kind-of the villain to proper loved champ, while Buemi did the opposite and went full on meltdown on his competitors as stated in the OP.

 

Also that was the race where allegedly Jp, Risil and co jumped some fences, legend says.

[thegamer23]

For U.K viewers

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 10 December 2018 - 10:31.

[jonpollak]

I think that was season1 @Battersea Ov..and neither Risil, Peat or Disgrace jumped any fences...I was the only scaling scallywag. However I did find an unused ticket upon landing and donated it to one of our boys so it was a slightly twisted ‘pay it forward’ gesture.
Jp

Edit: We also strolled into a VIP area without credentials

Edited by jonpollak, 10 December 2018 - 10:36.

[balage06]

Wait, so the UK gets exclusive free coverage on YouTube? I wouldn't exactly call that "non-geoblocked".

[thegamer23]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nissan & Mahindra are sponsored by Shell.   

Mahindra's sponsorship was announced this morning!

Edited by thegamer23, 10 December 2018 - 11:56.

[JavierDeVivre]

For U.K viewers

 

 

It would have been helpful for Jack to also clarify whether the sessions on YouTube were going be the world feed version too or just the children's version featuring nobody twits. It being on YouTube only in the form of the Voltage crèche is not a positive.

 

Looks like Eurosport will be place I will be opting for, it's a little disappointing that the BBC are only the race only.

 

The excitement its starting to build.

Edited by JavierDeVivre, 10 December 2018 - 12:17.

[thegamer23]

Because why not?

Would have put Sam Bird on the car tho   

 

[maximilian]

Edit: We also strolled into a VIP area without credentials

 

Dafuq, you guys are forum legends, you don't need no stinkin' "credentials"!

 

Also:  di Grassi IS definitely THE villain.  Especially when he sports that Bluto beard.

 

Also also:  Shell sponsors FE?  Imma go fill up my big fat GASOLINE TANK with some of that good Shell fuel right NOW! 

[jonpollak]

Yeah well... If you plan an event in a public park.. you can’t use the existing 200 year old charming little iron fences with cross members to use as step-ups. Sheesh.

Security for the VIP areas were hired from a job center and knew nothing about what they were to do.. obviously !!

And now,
I have a question..

Does it really say MAGA on the side of the Andretti car?
Jp

[Ben1445]

To be fair to Shell, they are investing a lot in EV charging and clean mobility. But it's still a very odd and not an instinctively appropriate sight. 

 

Also 'tis MAGNA not that odious acronym. They are one of BMW's technical partners in their wider electrification efforts. 

[Vielleicht]

Bit of an old west vibe in this Audi promo

Edited by Vielleicht, 10 December 2018 - 15:30.

[JavierDeVivre]

Shell involvement is not that surprising, they are a producer of lubricants. FE cars may not need fuel but they still need lubricants.

 

DS Virgin also had a similar deal with Total in 2017 too.

http://workshopmagaz...in-racing-team/

Edited by JavierDeVivre, 10 December 2018 - 15:38.

[Vielleicht]

It would have been helpful for Jack to also clarify whether the sessions on YouTube were going be the world feed version too or just the children's version featuring nobody twits. It being on YouTube only in the form of the Voltage crèche is not a positive.

 

Looks like Eurosport will be place I will be opting for, it's a little disappointing that the BBC are only the race only.

 

The excitement its starting to build.

In the comments and replies to his tweet, he does seem to clarify that all sessions will be live on YouTube which as far as he is aware includes the race with standard world feed commentary. The Voltage show is an extra option for viewers (as if they didn't have enough already!) without the regular commentary.

Edited by Vielleicht, 10 December 2018 - 15:49.

[BRG]

FE cars may not need fuel but they still need lubricants.

A few dollops of grease on the wheel bearings hardly warrants major sponsorship.  Shell are just shamelessly trying to position themselves as part of answer, rather than as most of the problem.

[Vielleicht]