c4_4ya

I'll join the minority. Nowhere near as exciting as Tudor, F1, Indy, or even the smaller events but at least it didn't put me to sleep within 5 minutes like NASCAR. The lack of an exhaust note plus IMO borderline lame announcing didn't help the cause.

However to me it is exciting due to the technology. Yes the performance is lame in comparison (so far) but so was my first PC. If they can garner the interest, fans, and thus funding, I would love to see where these cars are in 5, 10 years. Also the likely advancements to consumer autos that will be adapted from these could be interesting. Advancements to the power source such as changeable and/or quick charging batteries I imagine to be the first on the list.

Hard to imagine at this stage that E will ever replace combustion engines especially in racing, but we all know how quickly technology evolves. Will be much more interesting to watch the evolution than the actual races for a while.

tytek

Easily the saddest motorsports event ever recorded...

sperkins

The series should have waited until the race could be run without having to swap cars. That was a bit comical. Outside of that, the race wasn't the worst I've seen and I'm sure it will get better with time and money. Lots of money.

parkerracing

Best go kart race ever! Well...maybe not. But I do see potential. If they had the F1 DRS wing and the pit stop changed battery packs, not cars.

VetteDrmr

I can see why they don't change battery packs, too heavy, too big, and most likely too dangerous.

BUT, why do they need aero at all? And why the chicanes? Too keep them from being at terminal velocity for too long down the straight (serious question)?

David Malsher on RACER.com made a great point, IMO. He said that one of the real problems with the race is that you could watch it and think, seriously, "hey, anyone could do that." There was no sense of drama, of thinking "how did he DO that?"

Have a good one,
Mike

StreetSpeed

I got through the first couple of laps before I realized I had some paint I needed to watch dry.

parkerracing

I can see why they don't change battery packs, too heavy, too big, and most likely too dangerous.

Can it be any more dangerous than dumping thousands of gallons of flammable liquid into the cars during a round of pit stops? Picture this, the car pulls in, the crew pulls the rear tires off, the "fueler" pulls a release on the front of each side pod and slides the battery pack rearward on to a rolling charging fixture. Move it out of the way, position another charging fixture with fresh batteries, slide in the new pack until the release clicks, reinstall the tire, repeat for the other side. There are no connections as the packs slide on alum or copper rails that serve as +/- interfaces. I'm no engineer, but it's easy to imagine.

BUT, why do they need aero at all?

I don't know what they weigh but I'd guess they're heavy and the hp is on the low side (I think I remember 250 from the commentary). The slipperier the shape the more hp you free up. Would have been cooler if they looked like the Delta LMP car or some other cutting edge shape.

BrianCunningham

Anyone watch this weekend?

I thought it was a good race.

VetteDrmr

Started but failed. Good points: they got rid of the stupid dramatic background music, and they got rid of the formation lap.

Last lap I remember before falling asleep was lap 5.

blkbrd69

Bet it would be better if you just gave the top drivers in the world some golf carts and told them to go at it.

This is about the technology, so why don't they cover the engineering and materials technology?

Thank goodness for DVR's was OK to watch if you could fast fwd.

If they were on slicks and could hold some serious corner speed it may help??

bdanyluk

I agree....couldn't stand the "whining" r/c car like sounds for more than 5 minutes.

30 laps? really ? It's almost as half the race of F1 and they don't have any pit stops other than changing their "must use" hard / soft tires stupid rule.


I will never watch e-racing ever again.

rfn026

I'm going to attend the Miami race. It should be interesting. This could very well be the future of racing. We're at the end of the gasoline engine. We have to do something. If you think electric cars are all slow drive one of the new Teslas. Maximum torque at 1 rpm.

World Challenge will be the hot ticket this year. A number of teams have left the TUDOR/NASCAR series to run WC. WC is running the GT3 rules package. TUDOR will go to that in 2016.

Richard Newton

NTKRWLR

Formula E -> Crashing slowly

Racingswh

I sure hope not Richard. I am not selling mine. I will die first and my kids can sell them.

I will miss the scream. Hopefully I can have one or two Vintage cars at some point to keep what I remember from my childhood, and what shaped my love of racing, close to me.

jcsperson

I think we've got 20 years of "motor" racing left. I'll be 60 soon. I feel sorry for younger guys who will probable see it end in their lifetime. Maybe they'll have some other clean, renewable propulsion before they have to go to 100% battery-powered cars.