Formula E – Your guide and its intense season finale

Tom Spencer, Editor of IrishEVs and a former Press Officer for multiple Formula E teams, offers an introduction to the all-electric racing championship, and why its title run-in will break the mould in 2020.

For more information on IrishEVs visit www.irishevs.com or @IrishEVs on Twitter

For many of us, the loss of live sporting action has been one of the most keenly felt voids during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the tentative steps to reintroduce the passion of sport back to our lives has provided much-needed solace and escapism.

This week sees the return of FIA Formula E, an all-electric motorsport championship, which will run a total of six races over the coming nine days to crown its 2020 Champion.

Whether you’re new to the sport, and the technology behind it, or an avid fan, here’s Irish Tech News’ ultimate guide to the Formula E season finale.

What is Formula E?

In short, Formula E is similar to Formula 1 – it is a single-seater motorsport series that runs races around the world, with the best drivers, engineers and manufactures battling it out to be crowned as Champions. There is one major exception in this comparison however; all the cars are fully electric.

Formula E was conceived to be the first sustainable form of motorsport, and the cars that battle it out on track are pushing electric vehicle technology to the very limits in order to make EVs on the road safer, more reliable, and more efficient.

This has attracted a wealth of manufacturers who are eager to develop their electric vehicle technology to meet the growing demand worldwide. As a result, the series – which is only in its sixth season – now boasts the likes of Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Nissan, and Audi amongst its teams.

Formula E has also attracted some of the top driver talents in the world, with former F1 drivers such as Lucas di Grassi, Antonio Felix da Costa, Felipe Massa and Jean-Eric Verge facing off against some incredibly talented young drivers.

And it takes great talent behind the wheel to win in Formula E and control these incredibly powerful cars, which are able to accelerate from 0-100kph in just 2.8 seconds – making them one of the fastest accelerating cars in motorsport.

Unlike many traditional motorsports, Formula E almost exclusively races on street circuits in city centres. This makes for fast, frantic action with 24 cars running on tight, twisty, low-grip circuits at up to 280kph, with hard concrete walls lining the edge of the track just meters away.

These city centre circuits also ensure that the fans get as close to the action as possible. This also makes the events even more sustainable, with fans able to attend using public transport or walk to the venue – rather than having to drive to race tracks that are often in the middle of nowhere.

Fans first

Prior to the pandemic, Formula E’s focus was always on the fans. Alongside autograph sessions, a large fan zone with sim racing, and a podium ceremony that takes place with fans surrounding the winning drivers, Formula E also offers a lot more engagement than other series on social media.

In fact, fans can vote online for their favourite drivers to have a small increase in power during key periods in the race through a system known as FanBoost.

The top five drivers in the FanBoost poll get an additional 335bhp to use for a short burst to make a critical pass, or keep an attacking driver at bay.

What to look out for

With the season halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, scheduled races in China, Italy, France, South Korea, Indonesia, the US, and the UK all had to be cancelled.

Instead, the remaining six rounds of the Championship will take place over three different configurations of the Berlin Templehof Circuit over the coming nine days, taking place between 5th August and 13th August.

With only five races – known as e-Prix, a play on the traditional Grand Prix – having taken place already this season, the title could still be won by any of the drivers on the grid, and the current top six drivers separated by just 29 points – with 25 points available for each race win.

The Championship is currently being led by one of my old teams and reigning Constructors’ Champions, DS Techeetah, with Portuguese driver Antonio Felix da Costa holding a fragile 11-point lead over his nearest rival, Jaguar’s Mitch Evans.

With a number of teams have changed their drivers during the forced break, and with an incredibly abrasive, low-grip circuit to contend with, this will be a relentless and fast-paced dash towards the title showdown and shouldn’t be missed. Expect collisions, damage, and hard-fought action.

How to watch

All of Formula E’s practice and qualifying sessions are available to view live and free on their YouTube channel, with highlights available across social media too.

In Ireland, the live races can be viewed on both Eurosport and Virgin Media, while those with access to BBC iPlayer can also watch live. To find all the race times and how you can join all the live-action, visit Formula E’s Ways to Watch website.

Enjoy the racing!

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