Secrets of the very modern Formula E, the category that energetically persists in the old customs of motor sports

In Beijing 2014 the first ePrix of history. This is what each skill of the Formula E, the first electric category developed by the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The inauguration took place in the Olympic park of the Chinese city, at the center of attention in motor sports for a revolutionary concept: competition with vehicles powered exclusively by electric batteries.

Beyond the great novelty of those times, in which the new wave of electric propulsion was installed in the automotive industry and therefore unleashed motor sports, Formula E has stood the test of timedespite the criticism of the fans, who cling to tradition and underestimate this new alternative.

The cars surprise with their technical evolutionalthough they have characteristics that do not usually accord with the iron lover’s palate. These vehicles make no noise, just a hum when they pass at top speed, which can exceed 300 km/h. And riders should worry more about energy recovery than keeping their right foot flat.

The main brands of the automotive industry have passed or are currently in Formula E. Nobody wanted to miss this great show of high technology with electric batteries, knowing that the international market is increasingly occupied by this type of vehicles.

The fact is that already 15% of total global car sales correspond to those powered by electricity. And what could be better than showing up in Formula E to establish the technological vanguard. Although the top representatives of the industry have passed or are here (since Mercedes Benz OR BMWpassing through Jaguar AND AudiMoreover), teslaa disruptive company if there ever was one, conspicuous by its absence.

The group Nissan It is the only one of the Japanese brands that competes in Formula E. And the French-Argentine driver races there (the two flags are on the team poster) Sacha Fenestrazthat despite being born in France, his heart is in the province of Córdoba.

“I love racing the San Pablo ePrix because it’s the closest to home. In fact, my friends come to bring me Colonia Caroya salami”, comments the 24 year old boy with great sympathy.

“These cars are the most efficient on the planet. Because not only do they use all the energy from the batteries, but also during braking they can regenerate up to 40% of the energy during a competition”, say the engineers of the Nissan team, in a tour they carried out. Clarion through the wells.

silent samba

The San Pablo sambadrome is a party. The activations within the property are amazing. Each brand has its own stand, which does not skimp on economic resources, on entertainment, but fundamentally on the message to the public: the importance of taking care of the planet and not wasting energy. There is no category in the world that has such off-track movement as Formula E with its attractions driven by car terminals and energy-related companies.

“The driver must be very intelligent, as well as being fast. All drivers start with the same amount of energy, but they, together with the engineers in the pits, must know how to manage it very well, to maximize resources on the track,” they explain within the Nissan team, where 29 people work.

The car is one GEN3the latest evolution of these already disruptive cars from a design point of view, with a triangular format. They weigh just 850 kilos, including the pilot. In the past each driver had two vehicles, as the batteries were not enough to complete an ePrix, so they would enter the pits mid-race to change cars.

“You have to be very cautious and be very careful about the energy you consume. For example, when you brake the car, you don’t do it like a conventional sports car, but rather we have three phases. First we stop accelerating, then we touch the brake pedal and finally we give our all, in this way we lengthen the energy recovery process, which is fundamental for a competition”, explains Fenestraz.

In the meeting with the driver under the merciless sun of Sao Paulo which causes the thermometers to read more than 40 degrees, he brings a steering wheel from his car, to make the explanation more pedagogical: “This steering wheel costs around 7000 euros. And it’s very complete. Some things are secret, like the knobs on the leftbut from here we adjust the front and rear brakes, and modify the impeller mapping, based on wear on the track and battery consumption.”

There is no ePrix Interlagos, the classic San Pablo racecourse. These types of competitions mostly take place within cities, with road courses or in this case on the grounds of the sambrodrome. In fact this weekend the competition takes place in this place, while in Interlagos Crowds attend the Brazilian version of the music festival for three days Lollapalooza.

Although most of the car is conventional for all teams, the rear of the vehicle is developed by each brand. This is where the differences can be established. Although not everything you see is what makes the evolutions. “Here each team has its own software. And the work of the engineers with each driver determines whether he will be competitive or not”, stand out within the Nissan structure, which is preparing for the arrival of Formula E in Japan, with the next Tokyo ePrix, on the following date.

Formula E uses only two types of tyres, as minimal consumption of any material that may be harmful to the environment is promoted. That’s why we are also working on battery recycling. Indeed, There are no plastic bottles for drinking water.. It is sold in cans, for example.

Formula E passes through South America. In previous years he had been able to race in Buenos Aires, Punta del Este and Santiago (Chile). From 2023 he will stop in San Pablo, within the calendar which includes 16 dates, starting from Mexico and ending in London.

While after a decade the discipline still tries to seduce motorsport lovers, Formula E, with a totally new concept, maintains its technological, aesthetic and disruptive line, focusing all its energies on the progress of a discipline that is surprising, despite this it has not yet obtained the approval of the metalworkers.