Formula E: The greatest show without gasoline
After seven races in the 2018-2019 Formula E season, there have been seven race winners from seven different teams and seven different polesitters.
Electric vehicles. Regardless of what you think of the technology in 2019, one thing is for certain. The world’s only major all-electric race series, Formula E, knows how to put on a show.
That’s been true since Formula E began in 2014. But it’s been particularly true this year with the introduction of the second generation car and “attack mode”. Formula E hasn’t just displayed a promising future of all-electric vehicles; it’s shown a similar future for the rest of motorsport. As the world eventually moves away from gasoline, so too will motorsport.
When talking about why Formula E has been so good this year, the discussion must begin with the parity. The first seven races of this season have featured seven different polesitters and seven different winners, with each winner representing a different team. Only four of the sport’s 11 teams haven’t won a race yet this season.
Following the Rome ePrix victory of Mitch Evans and Panasonic Jaguar Racing, the top nine drivers in the standings are separated by a mere 13 points with six races to go. The championship standings are actually closer now than they were before the Rome ePrix.
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That said, it’s wrong to sum up the quality of this season by just talking about parity. It’s easy to look at a schedule full of street courses and think the races are really won on qualifying. If IndyCar and Formula 1 cars struggle to overtake on street courses, surely the electric series fares worse.
But you’d be wrong. At the painfully narrow 21-turn, 1.77-mile (2.849-kilometer) Circuito Cittadino dell’EUR temporary street circuit in Rome, Italy, points leader Jerome d’Ambrosio of Mahindra Racing started in 19th place and finished in eighth. Evans’s teammate, Alex Lynn, moved from 21st to 12th, and Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler’s Lucas di Grassi jumped from 13th to seventh.
Because the cars are electric and confined to street circuits, it’s hard to break away from the pack. That helps passing, but Formula E’s attack mode is a large conduit for overtaking. To explain, it’s one part Formula 1’s drag reduction system (DRS) or IndyCar’s push-to-pass and another part rallycross joker lap. To activate attack mode, drivers must go out of their way to drive through the activation zone. If they miss it by the slightest amount, they won’t be able to activate attack mode.
On paper, this sounds silly. Attack mode is absolutely inspired by cart racing video games. No new rule or innovation in motorsports this year warranted more skepticism. Yet no new rule or innovation has impressed in spite of such skepticism. Whereas DRS and push-to-pass have arguably made passing too easy, Formula E drivers having to lose ground to activate attack mode mixed with how narrow the tracks are has allowed overtaking to retain a level of difficulty.
But more so than attack mode, the quality of the on-track action comes from the drivers. The field of 22 cars includes winners and champions from the World Endurance Championship, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, World Touring Car Championship and even Formula 1. Formula E has provided a home for younger drivers looking for a different route to the top and for older drivers who can still race at a high level but whose time at the top of motorsport has fizzled out.
This mixture, along with attack mode and a schedule full of street courses, makes the racing compelling. Every one of the 22 drivers is willing to take risks; none of them shy away from contact. As a viewer, there’s always something on the track to watch.
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It’s easy to dismiss Formula E as a gimmick and an all-electric racing series that can’t possibly last, especially as a world championship and especially on street courses rather than world-famous road courses. Yet Formula E is arguably the most intriguing series in the world today. If you want an entertaining and compelling race, look no further than Formula E.