Motor racing enthusiasts will be well served this year on TVA Sports with the Electric Formula, since they will be entitled not only to the cutting edge of electric technology, but also to very competitive competition.
Featuring cars powered entirely by electric powertrains, as the name suggests, the FE has enabled eight different drivers and five teams to win at least one of 11 races during the 2019-20 season.
“There is a lot of parity. Out of 12 teams, there are probably nine or 10 that can win races, ”said Charles-Antoine Sinotte, who will be the commentator during the race reports.
“Racing is super-hot and unpredictable, and I think the word ‘unpredictable’ in sports in 2021 is what you sit in front of the TV for. […] By dwelling on it, we will discover a new way of consuming motorsport. ”
This parity is made possible by the standardization of the chassis and the batteries, which are identical for all the teams. The powertrain is the only aspect that teams can work on freely, while still maintaining an energy limit of 200 kilowatts per race.
The FE is thus an interesting competition for car manufacturers, who see it as a series much less expensive than Formula 1 and which makes it possible to develop green technologies and then introduce them to the market.
“It is a product that fits perfectly into the evolution of society and the electrification of transport. It’s filled with interesting technological discoveries that the general public will be able to tame. Yes, this is sporting knowledge, but it will be applied more and more to people’s daily lives. So it’s good to be able to bridge the gap, ”said Sinotte.
The fact of fighting for a title – which will be a world champion for the first time this year – also forces companies to accelerate the development of green technologies. Bertrand Godin, who will be an analyst alongside Sinotte, believes that the FE has made giant strides since the first season.
“I like philosophy. We were very down to earth when we launched this series, he said. Everyone was aware that there would be a lot of evolution. This is why we see the generation of single-seaters change every four years. The first year, in 2014, it took two cars to do a single race. It was not terrible, but over the years, research and development has done its work. ”
Also in terms of format, the FE stands out. All activities – free practice, qualifying and races – take place on the same day.
For many Quebecers, and more particularly for many Montrealers, EF rhymes with controversy. The series made a stop in the Quebec metropolis in 2017, under the leadership of mayor Denis Coderre. The event had above all aroused discontent because of traffic problems and accessibility to businesses and residences.
Mayor Valérie Plante quickly terminated the contract after her election. A few weeks later, in 2018, we learned that the event had caused a deficit of $ 13.55 million.
If the concept did not work in Montreal, the fact remains that the series visits several major cities around the world, with stops in particular in Rome, Monaco, Marrakech and Santiago. Each time, viewers are treated to some impressive shots.
“The relation of [Québécois] with FE is perhaps much more political than sporting. I remember that in Montreal, if we put aside all the chicane, we realized that it was something different that allowed us to see the cities. In the streets of Rome, it will give incredible shots, ”said Sinotte, praising the experience he considers a great alternative to real trips, not recommended in times of pandemic.
“A lot of water has flowed under the bridges since that saga.”
And for the critics who mock the series because of the lack of noise and the smell of burnt gasoline, Godin has a message: the electrification of transport is well and truly underway and combustion engines are set to disappear.
“I really liked the sound of the Renault V10 that we had [en Formule 1] back then, but these are cars that are a thing of the past. You have to accept to live in a different way. The combustion engine, as we know, for all manufacturers, will give way to an electric motor. ”
FE’s season kicks off on Friday with the ePrix in Dariya, Saudi Arabia. The country of the Arabian Peninsula will host two races in as many days.
– .
