Everything You Should Know About Formula E Racing

For anyone that thinks about racing, you likely have a picture of Formula 1 in your head. It is the most popular racing competition worldwide for single-seat drivers. With the world and the automotive industry turning to more sustainable options, the Formula E-Racing competition was made in 2011.

Formula E may seem and sound similar to Formula 1. However, due to the engine swap for battery packs and lack of noise, it is actually quite different. Moreover, the regulations differ too. If you are into the loud noises and high excitement levels of Formula 1, then Formula-E might not be able to offer that to you. With the racing competition being pretty new, it is still finding its feet. Yet, the new cars and E racing facts are pretty interesting.

Here is everything you need to know about Formula E racing.

What Is Formula E Racing?

Formula E racing is the single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars. The races involve electric cars only, all of which are new to the scene thanks to the race being introduced only a decade ago in 2011. It was founded in Paris by FIA president Jean Todt and Spanish businessman Alejandro Agag. However, the first inaugural race was held in 2014 in Beijing.

It took quite some time for the race to obtain the FIA world championship status. However, it did so in 2020 and has now since made a name for itself among those who love electric vehicles.

The Formula E racing championship is the only other race to obtain the world championship status alongside Formula 1. Therefore, it has gained immense backing over the past few years.

The Racing Regulations

Formula E racing involves twelve electric car teams, with each team having two drivers each, which is similar to the Formula 1 team format. The sport features of the electric cars are of a similar style to the hybrid cars that feature in Formula 1. Yet, the E racing competition involves 100% electric-powered racing cars.

Like Formula 1, the Formula E racing championship takes place on temporary city-center tracks, which span from 1.2 to 2.1 miles in length. On the morning of the race, the drivers are involved in two practice sessions, one is 45-minutes long, and the other is thirty minutes long. Alike Formula 1, these two practice sessions are to help the drivers understand the track and its strengths. Although, the Formula 1 championship practice sessions now take place days ahead of the race and are typically much longer.

Formula E racing then allows each driver to have a qualifying session, whereby whoever comes first will start first. This first-place position is indicated by whichever driver has the best lap time. The Formula E racing drivers are divided into four groups of six, with each group having six minutes to set their best lap. Thereafter, the race will begin and typically lasts around 45-minutes plus one lap.

When Formula E first started, a Gen2 car was among each team so that the drivers could change cars when theirs run out of power. However, the battery packs can now last the full race, and the pit stops are for tire changes and other car fixes. The highest bhp of the race is restricted to 268.

Points are only handed out to the top ten drivers, with the first-place winner receiving three points. Thereafter, the driver who sets the fastest lap receives an additional point on top of their final result. Since the 2019-2020 season, the driver who achieves the fastest lap during group qualifying is awarded one point.

To align with its futuristic theme, the Formula-E racing championship allows fans to get involved via social media. There is a vote involved whereby whichever driver obtains the most votes can enjoy a power boost during their race, which can be used for 5 seconds during the first half of the race. The voting opens 6 days before the race and closes 15 minutes before the final race begins.

Formula E Racing Cars And Champions

The first-ever car to race in Formula E racing was the Spark-Renault SRT 01E, which was designed by Spark Racing Technology. Its parts were created by various manufacturers, from Dallara to Williams Advanced Engineering. There were 42 ordered, 40 of which were handed out among the ten teams, and two were held back for testing. The Spark-Renault SRT 01E raced for the first four seasons.

Then in 2018-2019, the Gen2 car was added to the mix, which was there for drivers to change into after their car had run out of juice. These are no longer needed and have been replaced by popular manufacturers in the industry.

As of today, BMW, Porsche, Nissan, DS Automobiles, and Mercedes-Benz all race in the Formula E race. Audi has recently announced that they are leaving due to poor results and a lack of return.

In our opinion, Formula E racing is a pretty exciting turn of events for the world of championship racing. With it being the second to obtain the FIA world championship status, it is clearly doing something right and exciting in the world of racing. Only time will tell how many more big names will leave the race along with Audi or if Formula E will grow substantially.