157 replies to this topic

[thegamer23]

 

서울

 

WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, Double Header!
WHERE: Seoul, South Korea
WHY: Title Showdown, Gen 2 Last Race, new exciting track

 

 

 

 

100TH FORMULA E RACE: HISTORY MADE IN SEOUL!

It all started in October 2014, in the Streets of Bejing.

Who would have thought, back than, that the electric championship would race 100 races, with such big teams, drivers, high profile professionals & some incredible locations around the world?

Sunday's race is going to be Formula E's 100th race in History. 
Winning in FE is always special, but winning the 100th...come on! Everyone will be on fire trying to get that win!

This weekend will be a celebration of the Championship's History: we can expect something special before Sunday's race start.

 

 

 

 

 

THE END OF THE BEGINNING
 

It all ends in Seoul!

But, it's also a set-up for a brand new, exciting start.

The last dance of Gen 2 cars: a car that made its debut back in 2018, in the streets of Riyadh.

A futuristic design, controversial if you want, but a car that delivered years of close competition, drama & excitement in the streets of the most iconic cities in the world.

 

Gen 2 goes into retirement (i still hope of a Formula E support serie for the future, using the old cars), but wants to go out with a bang!

In the Streets of Seoul, Capital of South Korea, a Championship will be decided.
Two EPIC rounds, Saturday & Sunday morning, to assign the World Title and enter the new era of Formula E, the Gen 3 Era.

 

STOFFEL VANDOORNE, MITCH EVANS, EDO MORTARA. 

Three destinies coming together in Seoul; three men for one Crown.

 

Who's going to take it and write his name in History?

 

 

 

 

 

TITLE CONTENDERS

3 MEN FOR ONE CROWN

 

 

 

 

THE BELGIAN PRODIGY
 

Stoffel Vandoorne: the Rise & Fall of the Belgian Prodigy.

 

Stoff was an only child that grew up outside the Belgian city of Kortrijk.

His journey in motorsport began when he was six years old at an indoor karting track his father, an architect, was designing a restaurant for.

It took Stoffel and his family until he was fourteen to collect enough sponsorship to get Stoffel out of indoor karts and into a regional karting championship. On his first try, Vandoorne won the Belgian karting championship at sixteen.

 

The following year, in his first international season, he finished second in the World Karting Championship.

 

At seventeen, the Belgian entered a competition hosted by the RACB, the Belgian national racing program which helps fund and support young talents. He was selected to join the program which allowed Stoffel to continue racing and transition from go-karts to single seater cars. After an impressive debut in single seaters, Vandoorne was crowned F4 Eurocup 1.6 champion and progressed into Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup.

 

 

At the age of 20, after winning the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup championship, Vandoorne was picked up by the McLaren young driver program. McLaren had him compete in Formula Renault 3.5 championship where he finished runner up.

 

This is when the Belgian catapulted into the record books. In his two years competing in F2 he broke the records for the most number of victories, pole positions and fastest laps. He finished a close runner up his first season and then won his second attempt at the championship four races before the end of the season.

 

After GP2, he competed in Japanese Super Formula for a year alongside being McLaren F1 reserve driver.

 

 

 

 

On 31 March 2016, it was announced Vandoorne would be replacing regular McLaren Honda driver Fernando Alonso at the Bahrain Grand Prix after the Spaniard was ruled unfit to drive following a major accident in the previous round.

After qualifying 12th, ahead of McLaren teammate Jenson Button, Stoffel finished an impressive 10th and became the first reserve driver to score points on debut since Sebastian Vettel at the 2007 United States Grand Prix.
 

His successful debut in 2016 earned him an official seat at McLaren next to Fernando Alonso in the following 2017 season. In his first full Formula 1 season, Stoffel scored 13 points and scored his top finishes in Singapore and Malaysia in 7th place.

 

 

 

Stoffel continued with McLaren in 2018 and as McLaren’s performance issues continued, he scored 12 points with his best finishes in 8th place in Bahrain and Mexico.

 

After a couple difficult seasons at McLaren, Stoffel left Formula 1 and joined new entrant and Mercedes-Benz affiliate HWA Racelab in Formula E ahead of Season 5. Despite an array of technical failures on his car, Stoffel achieved a podium and five top ten finishes in his debut season

 

In 2021, Stoffel took part with Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E team for season 7 of the FIA Formula E Championship and after a very brilliant start of the season, he scored 82 points and the 9th overall position.

 

2022 it's been a glorious season so far for Vandoorne: just one win so far, but he's average race position has been 4th, with multiple podiums and barely any slip ups through the season.
This means he has now a promising 36 points lead over Mitch Evans & more than 50 points over Mortara.

Vandoorne is now under pressure: can the Belgian Prodigy hold off his rivals in Seoul, keep it cool & become a Formula E World Champion?

 

 

 

 

THE FLYING KIWI
 

Sheer New Zelander talent.

Mitch started karting at the age of six and won the NZ Grand Prix at 16.

Mentored by former F1 racer Mark Webber, the young driver went on to take the 2012 GP3 title in glorious fashion

 

 

 

Moving to GP2 in 2013 and at just 18 years of age, while still a rookie, Mitch became the youngest driver in GP2 history to stand on the podium after finishing third in Sepang, Malaysia.
Evans was a title contender in 2014's GP2, taking multiple wins & podiums: he finished the season 4th overall: in 2015 he took two more wins, 7 podiums, to finish 5th overall.

 

Evans quickly became one of GP2's fastest & more consistent drivers: his manager Mark Webber worked hard to try get him in one of F1's teams spotlight.

 

 

 

 

 

More success followed that year when Mitch finished second at the 24 hours in Sepang Malaysia. 

 

New Zealander Mitch Evans made his ABB FIA Formula E Championship debut with Jaguar TCS Racing in 2016 when the British team returned to racing. Mitch was swiftly seen as one of the quickest drivers on the grid and in season five Mitch translated this into his first win for Jaguar TCS Racing at the Rome E-Prix in April 2019. In season six Evans continued his success securing a pole position and podium in Santiago, a dominant victory in Mexico City and created ‘desert storm’ in Marrakesh with a history-making, 18-overtake drive through the field

 

Evans, who is based in Monaco, finished fourth in season seven of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with five podiums, five Super Pole appearances and was fighting for the title up to the final day of the season, when he stalled on the grid due to a technical problem.

Evans won three races this year: he's been mighty in Rome, and super consistent in most of this year's circuits.
Unfortunately, a technical problem in London led to a costly DNF: he's now 36 points away from Vandoorne in the standings.

But with more than 50 points up for the grabs, the title fight is still on for the Kiwi!

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE KING OF MACAU

 

The Swiss Clock: Edoardo Mortara's palmares speaks for himself.

 

After fighting for the win in the Karting Italian Opens Masters, Edoardo Mortara delivered right away in the Open Wheels.
In his first year of F3, 2008, Mortara finished 2nd in the Macau Grand Prix & 2nd in the Championship, with a win & multiple podiums.

 

The following year he dominated the Macau F3 Grand Prix, showing incredible skills: in 2010 he won the F3 Championship and the 6 hours of Zhuai with a GTC car.

 

Mortara proceeded to destroy the opposition in Macau GP, winning it four times in GT. 
In 2016, Mortara shined in DTM as well, finishing P2 at the end of the season with multiple wins & podiums.

 

 

Mortara joined Formula E in 2017, fighting for the win right away at his race debut: he was leading the Hong Kong e-Prix at debut, before spinning out in the closing stages.

Always with Venturi, Mortara raised up his level in FE season after season, just missing out on the World Title last year, due to a start crash incident in Berlin.

He's now mounting a new challenge for the title in 2022: having scored two wins & multiple podiums. 

Unfortunately two bad weekends in New York & London means Mortara is now 41 points away from Vandoorne in the standings.
But with 58 points up for the grabs, anything can still happen!
 

Can Mortara dominate the streets of Seoul like he did in Macau & clinch an incredible Title?

 

 

 

 

That's how it looks in the standings!
It's those three guys who are going to fight it out for the champ!

Obviously, Vergne too could still mathematically win the title but let's face it: it's almost impossible, let's be real!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SEOUL E-PRIX CIRCUIT
THE MOST SPECTACULAR FE TRACK OF ALL TIME?

 

 

Seoul is going to be insane!

Racing in & out of a Packed Olympic Stadium, than into the streets, between the Skyscrapers with a very fast & flowing sector, than back into the more tight, technical section before the Stadium.

 

Roads should be very wide out of the stadium, than quite tighter inside of the complex.

It's going to be a unique challenge for the drivers and a unique race to watch for the spectators.

 

 

 

 

Track should have a lot of personality, and the atmosphere should be bonkers!

Such an exotic & cool location to celebrate the 100th Race of Formula E, wich is going to be held on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEKEND'S TIMETABLE

Morning start time for the races in Europe. Grab a coffee & join the show!   

 

 

SATURDAY 

 

FP1:  00:00 

FP2: 01:45 

QUALI 03:40 

RACE 1  08:00

 

 

SUNDAY

 

FP3 01:30 – 03:00

Q2 03:40 – 06:15

RACE 2 (100th FE RACE) 08.00

 

 

 

uk times

https://www.fiaformu...90da8e7c1fdd399

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL EVENT TIMETABLE

 

If you're in Seoul, than you can't miss this!
 

https://www.fiaformu.../seoul/schedule

 

Concerts, events, PIKACKHU PARADES, this e-Prix is going to be a big Party!

 

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 11 August 2022 - 14:52.

[Ben1445]

It all started in October 2014, in the Streets of Bejing.
Who would have thought, back than, that the electric championship would race 100 races, with such big teams, drivers, high profile professionals & some incredible locations around the world?

My recollection of that time was a lot of predictions of an A1GP or Superleauge Formula-esque trajectory. 

 

A1GP eventually managed 78 individual races (39 sprint, 39 main) across four seasons of racing, using two different core chassis designs. Superleague Formula managed 69 races (17 of which were six-car Super Finals) also across four seasons using an evolution of the Champ Car DP01. 

 

So I guess completing an 8th season and 100 races ahead of moving onto a third generation chassis is exceeding a popular expectation. 

[RSRally]

What's the special celebrations you're hinting at for Sunday? Is the Gen3 car gonna go for a run around the circuit?

Would be pretty cool if they had three drivers, one in Gen1, one in Gen2 and one in Gen3 staging a mini race for us to see the progress between generations.

[thegamer23]

What's the special celebrations you're hinting at for Sunday? Is the Gen3 car gonna go for a run around the circuit?

Would be pretty cool if they had three drivers, one in Gen1, one in Gen2 and one in Gen3 staging a mini race for us to see the progress between generations.

 

Well, i'm just speculating!

I'd expect to see some kind of thing-event prior the 100th race start, but that's pure theory!

I'd like to see the Gen 3 on track, but not sure about that given the early state of on-track development

We'll see!
 

[thegamer23]

Meanwhile, Floodings in Seoul!
https://twitter.com/...624107332321281

 

Heavy rain expected on Saturday, should be slightly better on sunday, but still rain chances.

 

The weather could play a big factor in the championship fight.

Fuji 1976 anyone??

 

Edited by thegamer23, 08 August 2022 - 14:31.

[William Hunt]

I always look forward to any new circuit and hope there will be at least some excitement about the title battle, if Stoffel walks away with it in race 1 then the second race will have no excitement about the title so hope it will be decided in race 2

[sportyskells]

Well I am at my sister's for a sleep over therefore the old sky record is on

[thegamer23]

That's a lot of water

[juicy sushi]

I'll be happy with 2 good races.  I think it's probably going to be a pretty tame run in to the title for Stoffel, and won't fault him for that, he is a deserving champion for this year.

 

I think a bigger topic is the legacy of Gen2.  It took Formula E from (frankly) joke to serious championship, and provide a lot of memorably races.  Ok, still not as fast as other series of similar status, but a huge step up from Gen1, and a good way to set Formula E on a unique path by going in a totally different direction from conventional open-wheel and sports cars.  I am really, really looking forward to Gen3, but will look back fondly on Gen2, which made me a fan of the series and come around to being very positive on EVs in general.

[Jellyfishcake]

Going toi be interesting, in theory Vandoorne should win, but  a bad qualifying or two and it could spiral very quickly.

 

Quick note, by my calculations Mortara isn't more than 50 points behind 

[eab]

Would be interesting to see the fans' reactions if EVA or MOR takes double victory at SEO but with VDO bagging enough points to take the title, given the backlash from some to the '82 title of ROS because there were 5 other drivers who had (just) 1 more race win each. Now you'd have 3 drivers with more race wins than the champ, (his teammate with one more,) but one with two more, and one even with 4 more (so having a winning % of over 30).

Edited by eab, 09 August 2022 - 00:33.

[Ben1445]

Until everything seemed to come totally undone in New York and London, JEV looked in with a real chance of winning a title with no wins at all. 

 

I don't think I've ever had a problem with that sort of situation? Being in the frame for a title with no wins but consistently high points-scoring finishes is just the opposite end of being in the frame for title with only wins and DNFs. It's just that most title contenders end up somewhere in between those two extremes. 

[BRG]

Weather might not be very clement.

 

Still, it might clear up by the weekend.

[Sterzo]

What's the special celebrations you're hinting at for Sunday?

A Pickachu Parade.

[eab]

Until everything seemed to come totally undone in New York and London, JEV looked in with a real chance of winning a title with no wins at all. 

 

I don't think I've ever had a problem with that sort of situation?

Me neither. In fact, I find it less desirable that somebody with the results that DEV had last year is crowned champion.

But yeah, '82 is one of the most cited examples in this context because of the fact the champ only had 1 win out of 16 races, (and points-wise wouldn't even have needed that sole win) just like VDO would have now in the hypothetical above, and there were 5 (="too many" apparently) others with more. Now you'd have one driver that has 400% more wins than the champ. That's actually a lot more of a stretch.

[thegamer23]

No WDC this year for JEV, but still a win! 

 

Leo Vergne ready for 2022 silly season! 

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 09 August 2022 - 16:49.

[juicy sushi]

I think that while someone having a ton of wins looks out of place not winning the championship, if they are essentially in a "win it or bin it" situation, then it's not really the case that they were the best driver.  Stoffel hasn't won as many as some, but has always been in contention, and that consistent high placing is important.  One of the issues last year was the clear lotto nature of the qualifying making it much more chaotic.  The lotto is gone, and now the most consistently fast drivers have emerged.  Some of them have had all their misfortune hit them recently, so they're no longer in contention, but the fact that Stoffel survived all of that to make it to Seoul in the position he's in makes him a worthy champion.

[thegamer23]

[Ben1445]

That graph shows what a truly awful last four races Mortara and Vergne have had.

Evans has fared a little better but Vandoorne has just… been there.

[eab]

I think that while someone having a ton of wins looks out of place not winning the championship, if they are essentially in a "win it or bin it" situation, then it's not really the case that they were the best driver.  Stoffel hasn't won as many as some, but has always been in contention, and that consistent high placing is important.  One of the issues last year was the clear lotto nature of the qualifying making it much more chaotic.  The lotto is gone, and now the most consistently fast drivers have emerged.  Some of them have had all their misfortune hit them recently, so they're no longer in contention, but the fact that Stoffel survived all of that to make it to Seoul in the position he's in makes him a worthy champion.

Agreed.

[Bliman]

I think that while someone having a ton of wins looks out of place not winning the championship, if they are essentially in a "win it or bin it" situation, then it's not really the case that they were the best driver.  Stoffel hasn't won as many as some, but has always been in contention, and that consistent high placing is important.  One of the issues last year was the clear lotto nature of the qualifying making it much more chaotic.  The lotto is gone, and now the most consistently fast drivers have emerged.  Some of them have had all their misfortune hit them recently, so they're no longer in contention, but the fact that Stoffel survived all of that to make it to Seoul in the position he's in makes him a worthy champion.

Also, remember that Stoffel definitely deserved the title last year too. The bad luck he had was astonishing.

[eab]

Indeed. Had also to do with being out of position due to that quali format, and subsequently being used as a bumper pad.

[thegamer23]

Virtual Track Preview by Mahindra

https://twitter.com/...277833814503424

 

It has a little bit of everything.

You have the super slow & tight tipical FE sectors (Sector 1),

 

Than you've got the stadium wich is pretty great imho: quite flowing sector there going around the stands.

Than, a crazy Ramp wich will lead the cars to jump a little bit (Rome style), launching in the super fast Sector 3.

 

Sector 3 is flowing, fast, and reminds the last sector of Macau.
There's a seriously quick corner there, and the last corner is pretty open too, and gives a good opportunity to Attack back into Turn1 

Edited by thegamer23, 10 August 2022 - 08:56.

[balage06]

Tbh, Vandoorne has to do something terribly wrong to make this an actual "title battle", all he has to do is to not mess up at least one of the remaining races, but even then, Evans or Mortara needs something truly special to catch up.

[Muppetmad]

Looks like a fun course! S1 is clearly "follow-the-leader", but the rest looks intriguing. I look forward to it 

[thegamer23]

 

[BRG]

As the final hurrah for Gen 2, this might be just about OK, but let's hope with Gen 3 and higher performance levels, Walt Disney has much less influence on track design.

 

Still, I am glad that Korea will finally have a World Championship event in the right geographical area.

[Ben1445]

I think I would have probably have preferred to see fewer walls in the stadium, something more akin to Mexico City where it's juts painted lines once you're inside the stadium. Perhaps the decision to have integrated concert/event staging makes that a little tricky here but hey ho. 

 

Generally, I do think FE is perhaps going a little too heavy on just how much it walls things in when it maybe doesn't need to. Punta del Este had some wonderful flowing chicanes with some basic runoff space and I think that was probably perfectly acceptable (track limits policing aside), especially compared to some of the very wall-heavy, run-off shunning chicane installations we've seen since. 

 

Still think the good IndyCar/IMSA street circuits are generally the best of both worlds and get the balance right between using real streets and having some sense of being a proper racing circuit without starting too far into feeling like a permanent venue which happens to be used as some streets (except for Nashville, perhaps, which is spectacular enough but very crash filled indeed). 

[eab]

Tbh, Vandoorne has to do something terribly wrong to make this an actual "title battle", all he has to do is to not mess up at least one of the remaining races, but even then, Evans or Mortara needs something truly special to catch up.

Nah, not special enough to my liking. I say JEV the Bull, inspired by his newborn King, will fight like a true Korean tiger. Get 2 poles, 2 fastest laps and 2 wins. Stoffel may even have his point for 10th. No need for EVA and MOR not to join JEV on the podium. Twice. They can join the party.

[juicy sushi]

I think I would have probably have preferred to see fewer walls in the stadium, something more akin to Mexico City where it's juts painted lines once you're inside the stadium. Perhaps the decision to have integrated concert/event staging makes that a little tricky here but hey ho. 

 

Generally, I do think FE is perhaps going a little too heavy on just how much it walls things in when it maybe doesn't need to. Punta del Este had some wonderful flowing chicanes with some basic runoff space and I think that was probably perfectly acceptable (track limits policing aside), especially compared to some of the very wall-heavy, run-off shunning chicane installations we've seen since. 

 

Still think the good IndyCar/IMSA street circuits are generally the best of both worlds and get the balance right between using real streets and having some sense of being a proper racing circuit without starting too far into feeling like a permanent venue which happens to be used as some streets (except for Nashville, perhaps, which is spectacular enough but very crash filled indeed). 

Agreed.  Not sure the walls in the stadium section help things, and they probably could do with opening things up a bit.  Maybe aiming for something more like Montreal, which doesn't feel as much like a temporary circuit even though it is one.

[thegamer23]

 

 

 

- 2 DAYS

 

 

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 11 August 2022 - 08:26.

[BRG]

 

 

 

OMG, I just saw this.  That starting grid is just asking for a huge first turn accident involving the entire grid.  How will anyone get through their intact??  It is completely ridiculous.  The Pikachu Parade may turn out to be the best thing of the weekend.

 

Macao, eat your heart out....

[thegamer23]

That's the dummy grid, not the starting grid!   

That's where they're going to start the "formation" procedure. (sometimes it's longer than just a burnout, depends on the location)
Make sense to start the formation lap into the stadium, for the fans!

Start line is on the main straight

 

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 11 August 2022 - 10:20.

[Ben1445]

Porsche being very un-Porsche like and racing with a special livery: 

 

https://newsroom.por...eoul-29310.html

 

 

[thegamer23]

Nice to see special liveries for the Final e-Prix of the Season & final act of Gen 2!   

Would like to see more teams going for it! 

 

 

 

 

meanwhile, huge K-Pop concerts going on at the location.

Edited by thegamer23, 11 August 2022 - 12:18.

[BRG]

That's the dummy grid, not the starting grid!   

That's where they're going to start the "formation" procedure. (sometimes it's longer than just a burnout, depends on the location)
Make sense to start the formation lap into the stadium, for the fans!

Start line is on the main straight

AH, OK, that's make more sense.   But I wouldn't be surprised people still trip over each other in turn 1 moving carefully off the dummy grid.  Lotterer and Di Grassi are in the field after all.

[thegamer23]

Reminder of the Season Finale's Weekend Schedule

 

 

 

What to Eat in Seoul? 

 

 

 

 

Edited by thegamer23, 11 August 2022 - 16:03.

[thegamer23]

20 min Race Preview

 

[OneLapWonder]

That's the dummy grid, not the starting grid!   

That's where they're going to start the "formation" procedure. (sometimes it's longer than just a burnout, depends on the location)
Make sense to start the formation lap into the stadium, for the fans!

Start line is on the main straight

 

 

 

 

 

They should've just went from T1 to T4. Within the stadium you can't escape the mickey mouse section, but that T1-T2-T3 section is unnecessary and therefore hideous!

[jonpollak]

Sat and Sun looks like a wash out.
Have the floods receded?



Jp

[thegamer23]

For sure it will be a big factor in this Championship Decider Race.

It will rain sometime during both days: the question is how much?

Hopefully nothing torrential & no Red Flags, fingers crossed.

[thegamer23]

- 1

 

Tonight, the action starts!

 

 

One of the Widest Section of the track. Sector 3 is set to be one of the most spectacular sections!

 

 

 

 

Vandoorne goes WHITE!

 

 

 

HUGE Pikachu looming over the circuit

 

Edited by thegamer23, 12 August 2022 - 07:14.

[thegamer23]

Not sure if it's geoblocked, but you can see the Shakedown live there, right now!
 

https://www.sportmed....it/?refresh_ce

[thegamer23]

Toughts on the circuit: 

Looks fun!!

The tight twisty section at the start is not that bad: it's tight but not that tight (for FE standards), and has a good flow.

The stadium is fast, flowing & scenographic, should be a treat to watch fully packed!

 

 

 

 

Sector 3 is as good as it gets: looks like some sections of Rome under the trees, but it's in downhill and it's very fast & wide. Definetely the highlight of the circuit.

Looks like an Indycar section more than a FE one!
 

Gen 2 cars should look at their best ever there in qualifying.

Turn 20 is also super wide & flowing, cars will come into the main straight with a lot of speed.

Uncharacteristic for Formula E tracks, love it!

 

 

 

 

Roll on Race Day !

That's it!

 

I'll miss all the event beacause of an Holydays clash: i'll try to follow some of the action but i may not be able to comment anything. 

Enjoy the Season Finale Guys!   

 

 

Tonight/Tomorrow Schedule

 

FP1:  00:00 

FP2: 01:45 

QUALI 03:40 

RACE 1  08:00

Edited by thegamer23, 12 August 2022 - 09:00.

[RSRally]

Will Mortara be able to keep the title battle going or will Evans be the Seoul survivor in the title battle with Vandoorne after Saturday's race?

Might the weather turn things into a Seoul asylum?

Apologies in advance.

[BRG]

Will Mortara be able to keep the title battle going or will Evans be the Seoul survivor in the title battle with Vandoorne after Saturday's race?

Might the weather turn things into a Seoul asylum?

Apologies in advance.

We'll let you off, but don't make a Korea of it.

[RSRally]

Track preview: https://youtu.be/kyG14MpKEs0

I like the fast sections but the twiddly bits are too narrow, or at least they look it on the video. The chicane before entering the stadium is asking for trouble.

[thegamer23]

It's time to drive in Seoul

FP1 in 60 minutes

https://youtu.be/gOkbftWVGJk

[Ben1445]

The second half of the lap is lovely

[HP]

Sat and Sun looks like a wash out.
Have the floods receded?



Jp

Not looking that great in general https://www.windy.co...4.958,125.585,7