Formula E – Presentation of the Discipline and the 2014-2015 Calendar

The Formula E championship aims to promote a new vision of the future of motorsport, electric, with the framework of also enabling the development of new technologies that can later be applied to road cars.

Here’s what you need to know about this brand new discipline organized under the aegis of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which you can follow on our site.

The progression of the ePrix

Each round of the Formula E championship will take place on a single day to minimize the impact on the megacities where the ePrix are organized. The day will proceed as follows:

– 1ère séance d’essais de 45 minutes

– 2ème séance d’essais de 30 minutes

– Séance de qualification de 40 minutes (4 groupes de 5 pilotes disposant chacun de 10 minutes de piste)

– ePrix de 60 minutes avec un arrêt obligatoire pour changer de monoplace

The points scale

From the points perspective, the scale is the same as in Formula 1: 25 points, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and 1. But unlike Formula 1, pole position and the fastest lap are also rewarded with three and two points, respectively. All results minus one will be counted for the championship.

The single-seater

The only single-seater currently approved for the championship is the Spark-Renault SRT_01E – derived from Formulec – designed by Frédéric Vasseur. This single-seater was born from the collaboration of several well-known companies, particularly in Formula 1, with the chassis designed by Dallara, the powertrain and electronics supplied by a McLaren subsidiary, the batteries provided by Williams, the gearbox by Hewland, and the 18-inch tires – usable in both dry and wet conditions throughout the event – by Michelin. Starting from the second year of the championship, the regulations will allow teams to enter their own chassis as long as they are approved by the FIA.

The power

The SRT_01E has a maximum power of 270 horsepower, fully usable during free practice and qualifying. However, in the race, drivers will have to be content with a power of 202.5 horsepower, which can be temporarily increased to 243 horsepower thanks to the FanBoost – granted to the three drivers receiving the most fan votes before each ePrix.

Pit stops

The drivers have two single-seaters per race weekend, each requiring 50 minutes to charge from zero. During an ePrix, drivers must observe a mandatory stop – completed within a set time – during which they must change cars. Pit stops for tire changes are prohibited, except in the case of a puncture.

2014/2015 Formula E season calendar

For the first season of Formula E, the FIA decided to promote the championship worldwide. The season will begin in Asia with an opening race taking place in Beijing this Saturday, September 13, 2014, then the championship will move to America (South America and then the United States) before heading to Europe and concluding in London on June 27, 2015. This makes it a season spread over 10 months with 10 ePrix scheduled, all held on urban circuits.

For its first season, the championship is more focused on capitals or megacities like those on the Old Continent, with two important capitals, Berlin and London. Notably, Monaco is also present for the glamorous aspect of the Principality and probably also due to Prince Albert II’s involvement in electric automobiles. In this category of capitals/megacities, we also find Beijing, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Miami, and Putrajaya, which is the new administrative capital of Malaysia.