The Lucas di Grassi Formula E Thread

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 10 Mar 2013, 21:53

i hope the LA round runs in-out or around the Coliseum

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 10 Mar 2013, 22:11

Ferrarist wrote:Am I the only one, who had to look up Putrajaya on Wikipedia?

I haven't looked it up yet, but I will have to. My guess is... Indonesia.

And Google says that I was wrong!

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 11 Mar 2013, 15:02

Just a quick note to say I've edited the Thread Title, and also corrected the web page link as the original one didn't work any more.

These people seem to be partners to the series and have a bit more info about the car, and a fair bit about the prototype, including a few videos :

http://formulec.org/en/index.html

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 11 Mar 2013, 15:30

In order to make it standard with the rest of the other motorsport and sports in general present in this thread I propose yet another change in the thread name: The Lucas di Grassi Formula E Thread.

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 11 Mar 2013, 15:47

DanielPT wrote:In order to make it standard with the rest of the other motorsport and sports in general present in this thread I propose yet another change in the thread name: The Lucas di Grassi Formula E Thread.

Good suggestion - DONE!

Post by **tommykl** » 11 Mar 2013, 18:08

Ferrarist wrote:Am I the only one, who had to look up Putrajaya on Wikipedia?

I lived within an hour of the place once, I would have been ashamed not to have known where it is 8-)

FMecha · Post by **FMecha** » 11 Mar 2013, 18:11

If Formula E goes to Japan, I thought they should use Tokyo R246 from Gran Turismo. Similarly, if they goes to South Korea, they should use Seoul Central from GT4 (BCS will not be pleased, though). [/talkingGranTurismostreetcircuits]

:lol:

Phoenix · Post by **Phoenix** » 11 Mar 2013, 18:19

FMecha wrote:If Formula E goes to Japan, I thought they should use Tokyo R246 from Gran Turismo. Similarly, if they goes to South Korea, they should use Seoul Central from GT4 (BCS will not be pleased, though). [/talkingGranTurismostreetcircuits]

Yeah, and if they go to Monaco they should use the Monte Carlo street circuit from Gran Turismo too :lol:

I'll get my coat...

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 11 Mar 2013, 19:09

FMecha wrote:Similarly, if they goes to South Korea, they should use Seoul Central from GT4 (BCS will not be pleased, though).

Too right I won't. Tilke could design a better track than Seoul Central on his worst day, drunk, and with both hands tied behind his back.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 12 Mar 2013, 00:19

If Formula E proves to be a success, how long will it be before that technology makes its way into F1?

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 12 Mar 2013, 00:22

Cynon wrote:If Formula E proves to be a success, how long will it be before that technology makes its way into F1?

Considering Nissan want to do an all-electric car for Le Mans in 2015, I bet not too far away at all really. Especially if Renault want to use their new engine in both LMP1 and F1, so the technology transfer will be quite great. With the ACO pushing alternative energy sources and giving the manufacturers plenty of freedom to experiment, it will give them the opportunity to try things out which they can then apply in F1.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 12 Mar 2013, 03:04

There used to be a series in the U.S. for universities called Formula Lightning (best series name EVER), in which each team was from a university and given a chassis. Each team was to design their own electric motor for the cars.

Here's the first ever Formula Lightning race in 1994.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdhlc5-hUKc

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 12 Mar 2013, 03:22

I always wondered why a school based motorsport never has never really worked. I guess costs, and probably the fight to be the driver might have something to do with it.

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 12 Mar 2013, 10:22

Cynon wrote:If Formula E proves to be a success, how long will it be before that technology makes its way into F1?

Wasn't there talk of F1 going electric-only in the pitlane (using spare KERS energy I guess) in the 2014 regulations, which then got dropped?

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 12 Mar 2013, 10:38

AndreaModa wrote:
Cynon wrote:If Formula E proves to be a success, how long will it be before that technology makes its way into F1?

Considering Nissan want to do an all-electric car for Le Mans in 2015, I bet not too far away at all really. Especially if Renault want to use their new engine in both LMP1 and F1, so the technology transfer will be quite great. With the ACO pushing alternative energy sources and giving the manufacturers plenty of freedom to experiment, it will give them the opportunity to try things out which they can then apply in F1.

What? What is than nonsensical treachery of electric engines? Bernie wants some V8s! The older and noisier the better!

andrew2209 · Post by **andrew2209** » 14 Mar 2013, 18:45

DOSBoot wrote:I always wondered why a school based motorsport never has never really worked. I guess costs, and probably the fight to be the driver might have something to do with it.

The likelihood of a school driver to be qualified enough to race would be pretty low, and the chances are the red mist would descend in a real race situation.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 15 Mar 2013, 00:41

andrew2209 wrote:
DOSBoot wrote:I always wondered why a school based motorsport never has never really worked. I guess costs, and probably the fight to be the driver might have something to do with it.

The likelihood of a school driver to be qualified enough to race would be pretty low, and the chances are the red mist would descend in a real race situation.

It's not that, but the costs of even many of the qualified drivers when they crash that is the concern. As in student racing operations can't use pay drivers for obvious reasons.

Syzygy · Post by **Syzygy** » 18 Mar 2013, 20:49

Cynon wrote:There used to be a series in the U.S. for universities called Formula Lightning (best series name EVER), in which each team was from a university and given a chassis. Each team was to design their own electric motor for the cars.

Here's the first ever Formula Lightning race in 1994.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdhlc5-hUKc

The race at IRP was the first ever official race; I think they did an exhibition to support the Grand Prix of Cleveland earlier that year.

If I remember correctly, my university thoroughly dominated every season

after it's demise, they shifted their program to attempting to beat the land-speed record with alternative-fuel race cars. They currently hold the land speed records for electric-powered (Li-ion) and hydrogen-powered cars.

Formula Lightning lasted for 10 years, and the last race was at Mid-Ohio in 2004.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Mar 2013, 14:41

Syzygy wrote:
Cynon wrote:There used to be a series in the U.S. for universities called Formula Lightning (best series name EVER), in which each team was from a university and given a chassis. Each team was to design their own electric motor for the cars.

Here's the first ever Formula Lightning race in 1994.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdhlc5-hUKc

The race at IRP was the first ever official race; I think they did an exhibition to support the Grand Prix of Cleveland earlier that year.

If I remember correctly, my university thoroughly dominated every season after it's demise, they shifted their program to attempting to beat the land-speed record with alternative-fuel race cars. They currently hold the land speed records for electric-powered (Li-ion) and hydrogen-powered cars.

Formula Lightning lasted for 10 years, and the last race was at Mid-Ohio in 2004.

Wow, the lack of noise really makes a big difference! Reminds me of the old turbo-diesels in the BTCC a few years ago, but to a greater degree... I am tempted to see the round in London, when it comes round, but the lack of noise may be a bit off-putting...

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 17 May 2013, 10:54

They have released a new concept image of the car :

Looks kinda Indycar-meets-DeltaWing ... I like it.

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 18 May 2013, 01:12

madmark1974 wrote:They have released a new concept image of the car :

Looks kinda Indycar-meets-DeltaWing ... I like it.

Oh god! Yuck! The nose is Mercedes AMG, the front wing is Dallara DW-12, the side pods are Deltawing, and the rear wing is LMP1. Awful combination if you ask me.

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] · Post by **Sunshine_Baby_[IT]** » 18 May 2013, 12:28

About the car, it looks not bad.
Anyway I think this championship could potentially be really rejectful...

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 18 May 2013, 12:29

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] wrote:Anyway I think this championship could potentially be really rejectful...

I completely agree with you there, that is why I am looking forward to it

Sunshine_Baby_[IT] · Post by **Sunshine_Baby_[IT]** » 18 May 2013, 13:06

eurobrun wrote:
Sunshine_Baby_[IT] wrote:Anyway I think this championship could potentially be really rejectful...

I completely agree with you there, that is why I am looking forward to it

I hope that Di Grassi is not just a development driver, but he would race too.

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 21 May 2013, 11:00

New article on Formula E from James Allen :

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2013/05/formula-e-series-targets-reverse-calendar-for-debut-season-in-2014/

The championship is set to start in September 2014 with 10 city centre races – eight of which have already been announced in the form of London, Rome, Los Angeles, Miami, Beijing, Putrajaya (Malaysia), Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.

AustralianStig · Post by **AustralianStig** » 21 May 2013, 12:14

I just checked out the Wikipedia article on Formula E...found this pretty hilarious:

The Race

Early morning: free practice session, followed by qualifying
Late morning: qualifying 1 lap time each driver with both cars A and B
Afternoon: a 2-hour break to recharge the cars
Evening: Final race with 3 stints and 2 pit stops
Pit stop will involve a change of car: when the battery runs out, the driver will make a pit stop, then will run 100 metres to climb into a recharged car

I wonder what everyone will do for the 2 hours? I'm just waiting for Kimi to turn up and start giving out ice creams...

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 21 May 2013, 12:44

AustralianStig wrote:
Wikipedia wrote:The Race

Early morning: free practice session, followed by qualifying
Late morning: qualifying 1 lap time each driver with both cars A and B
Afternoon: a 2-hour break to recharge the cars
Evening: Final race with 3 stints and 2 pit stops
Pit stop will involve a change of car: when the battery runs out, the driver will make a pit stop, then will run 100 metres to climb into a recharged car

I wonder what everyone will do for the 2 hours? I'm just waiting for Kimi to turn up and start giving out ice creams...

That is the real most hilarious part.

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 21 May 2013, 12:51

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
AustralianStig wrote:
Wikipedia wrote:The Race

Early morning: free practice session, followed by qualifying
Late morning: qualifying 1 lap time each driver with both cars A and B
Afternoon: a 2-hour break to recharge the cars
Evening: Final race with 3 stints and 2 pit stops
Pit stop will involve a change of car: when the battery runs out, the driver will make a pit stop, then will run 100 metres to climb into a recharged car

I wonder what everyone will do for the 2 hours? I'm just waiting for Kimi to turn up and start giving out ice creams...

That is the real most hilarious part.

I literally said this out loud:What.The.Bathplugging.Bathplug.

The 2 hour break to recharge the cars is bad enough,but the sprinting bit is just hilarious. Imagine heavy pitlane traffic.It could turn out to be a madhouse. >inb4 Usian Bolt is hired to make pitstops faster.

Also,I've created my ideas of how the street circuits could look like.I might even go as far to post a full calendar.

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 21 May 2013, 13:46

A 100m run to a car, why on earth is that necessary? Next they will be jumping through rings and navigating mazes. :lol:

I am glad they revealed the image of the car, otherwise I would have thought it would have looked like this:

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 21 May 2013, 13:56

Shadaza wrote:A 100m run to a car, why on earth is that necessary? Next they will be jumping through rings and navigating mazes.

I am glad they revealed the image of the car, otherwise I would have thought it would have looked like this:

Regardess, if it means they make some more Takeshi's Castle then I'm all for it ...

P.S. How on earth did we get from 'The Future Of Motorsport' to a 1980s Japanese cult TV show?

Backmarker · Post by **Backmarker** » 21 May 2013, 14:06

The 100m run at the start reminds me of the Le Mans start. Of course, that was ended because in the rush to get into their cars and away, drivers were neglecting to fasten their safety harnesses. I hope that this won't be the case in Formula E.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 21 May 2013, 14:10

Couldn't they park in the garage, get out of depleted car, get in the charged one safely with the aid of engineers and get moving again? It is probably though that this 100m sprint is what will make people stick to the TV's!

I must add though that this championship is only worth if it means manufacturers can make an arms race for better technology. Perhaps soon enough they will have no need for the sprint race.

Backmarker · Post by **Backmarker** » 21 May 2013, 15:57

DanielPT wrote: I must add though that this championship is only worth if it means manufacturers can make an arms race for better technology. Perhaps soon enough they will have no need for the sprint race.

That is the hope/expectation - although the inaugural season will be a one-make formula, other manufacturers will be able to enter in 2015, making the series much more interesting in my opinion.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 21 May 2013, 19:25

I do hope that we get to see this motorsport spectacular on TV. Surely Motors TV will run it if nobody else does?!

It'd be great with that Japanese commentator doing it. BATTERY FLATIUUUUUUU!!!!! ARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 23 May 2013, 16:16

Barbazza wrote:I do hope that we get to see this motorsport spectacular on TV. Surely Motors TV will run it if nobody else does?!

I'm hoping it's televised as well - it might even be worth extending my TV package to include whatever channel shows it, if this turns out to be the case. Or, better still, if one of the Euro-channels I can pick up with the Astra 1 dish shows it, problem already solved...

I'm just annoyed that it's still over a year before the championship kicks off. I'm curious to see how (or if) it will work. What I'd also want to see, though, is a hydrogen fuel cell powered single-seat racing car. Seeing as carbon fibre technology has advanced to the point where F1 cars can have enormous accidents and the whole tub of the car remains intact (isn't that right, Mr Kubica?), and those cars hold enough of a ridiculously flammable liquid to complete a 305 km race at a consumption rate of something around 4 mpg, then what is there to be scared of if a similar car was to contain a cylinder capable of holding enough hydrogen to race at similar speeds to Formula E and for just as long, if not more?

Call it Formula H and see how the two compare.

Shadaza · Post by **Shadaza** » 23 May 2013, 19:27

dinizintheoven wrote:Call it Formula H and see how the two compare.

Just hope it doesn't "bomb." :lol:

But yeah, your point stands, Hydrogen cars are perfectly safe and it would be interesting to see them race.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 27 May 2013, 19:47

So... lets see:

Silly Season for 2015 season: Usain Bolt gets a racing seat. The team said: "He could make the difference in 100m runs".

Faustus · Post by **Faustus** » 19 Jun 2013, 15:28

Cynon wrote:There used to be a series in the U.S. for universities called Formula Lightning (best series name EVER), in which each team was from a university and given a chassis. Each team was to design their own electric motor for the cars.

Here's the first ever Formula Lightning race in 1994.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdhlc5-hUKc

Sorry about the thread archeology, but I remember an article in Racecar Engineering a long time ago about this series. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Onxy Wrecked · Post by **Onxy Wrecked** » 19 Jun 2013, 21:02

Barbazza wrote:I do hope that we get to see this motorsport spectacular on TV. Surely Motors TV will run it if nobody else does?!

It'd be great with that Japanese commentator doing it. BATTERY FLATIUUUUUUU!!!!! ARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!

THAT WAS A VIOLENT CRASHUUUUUUU!

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 18 Jul 2013, 14:05

James Allen's site has an article stating that Andretti Autosports intends to enter the Formula E championship :

Andretti Autosports, run by former Indycar and F1 racer Michael Andretti, has become the third team to formally enter the new FIA Formula E series, due to start in September 2014

Full link here : http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2013/07/andretti-becomes-latest-team-to-enter-formula-e-series/

And here's Andretti's site link : http://andrettiautosport.com/news/?p=3661

Andretti plans to run one car for the championship, while his second entry could be a 'star car'; that uses well-known drivers such as IndyCar reigning champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti or James Hinchcliffe based on their availability