Adrien Tambay in discussion for a seat in a major category of motorsport
The Formula 1 driver and consultant for Canal + gave an interview to Motors Inside, in which he talks to us about the evolution of the Formula E championship and the characteristics of driving an electric single-seater.
Multi-card driver previously in single-seaters, DTM and FIA ETCR, Adrien Tambay has been a consultant for Canal+ on Formula 1 Grand Prix races for several years. On the microphone during pre-season testing, he is also called upon to replace Franck Montagny in the pit lane or Jacques Villeneuve in the commentator’s booth in the rotation of consultants set up by the F1 broadcaster in France.
In addition to this activity, he does not hesitate to take to the track to bring his expertise and experience in motorsport. It is in this capacity that he has been invited to participate in tests for rookies in Formula E, behind the wheel of the Gen3 ABT Cupra, which has competed in the electric single-seater championship for the past two seasons.
On the occasion of the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Motors Inside was able to interview the French driver about his experience behind the wheel of a Formula E.
Hello Adrien. You have driven the ABT Cupra Gen3 in tests. What is your feeling about this car compared to the single-seaters you have raced with before?
« Formula E cars are completely different from what we can know with classic single-seaters. Simply because the entire braking system is controlled by energy recovery and motors in the front wheels. It is closely related to software and preparation with engineers. It is very interesting from an engineering point of view. When driving, the goal is the same as elsewhere, that is to say, to go as fast as possible. For me, braking remains the most important part in car racing. So the fact that we decelerate more than we brake makes things different from that point of view. »
Robert Shwartzman, who drove the DS Penske Formula E car earlier this year and the Sauber F1 in FP1 at Zandvoort, says that the biggest difference between an F1 car and a Formula E car is the level of downforce. Do you agree with this observation?
« Yes of course, it goes much slower, there is much less support, it is not what Formula E is looking for, which aims to control costs and base its technology on something else. It is sometimes a bit more difficult to drive in Formula E than in Formula 1 because the limit is closer and you have to fight a bit more with the car because it slides more, you are less glued to the ground. And on top of that, there is no power steering. Anyway, it has nothing to do in terms of passing speed. Anyway, the tires in Formula E are not slick tires so it would be useless to have more aerodynamics. »
Between two Formula E seasons, the transfer market is often very disrupted, more than in F1, still next year with, for example, Stoffel Vandoorne who will be moving to Maserati, are there any discussions regarding you for a possible seat?
There are always discussions. It is certain that Formula E, for drivers today, is one of the places to be. In categories outside of Formula 1, there are three, Indycar, FE, and LMDh, so naturally yes, I would be interested.
