Calendar, youth, partnership, Pedro de la Rosa: the latest news from Formula E
To keep you informed about the latest in Formula E, MotorsInside has put together a summary of the important information to remember.
A first draft of the 2018-2019 calendar is taking shape:
According to some reports, the start of the next season is expected to take place in December in Saudi Arabia on the streets of the capital Riyadh, for the first time. It was in this city that the last Race of Champions was held this winter.
The calendar should also give prominence to an additional race in Asia (in addition to the two races in Hong Kong), on the Chinese island of Hainan, specifically in the city of Hankou. The identity of the South American round is yet to be determined as discussions are underway for a second race in Santiago, but in a different location from the first edition. Further talks are also ongoing with the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires.
Regarding the two permanent circuits on the calendar, Marrakech and Mexico, they will keep their place for at least one more year. The first European round should continue to take place in Rome before moving on to Paris, then Monaco. Formula E is expected to return to Zurich before heading to Berlin (probably in the city center). The addition of a race in the streets of Munich is also being considered since BMW will be committing to the discipline as an official team.
Finally, in addition to a New York ePrix in July, a Canadian event could be held in Vancouver or Toronto to replace Montreal, which canceled its second edition of the race this year. To conclude, be aware that feasibility studies have been commissioned for the cities of Copenhagen, Budapest, and Lisbon.
The popularity of Formula E is increasing among young people.
The championship has seen a significant increase in interest on social media, according to a study commissioned by the discipline’s owners. The collected statistics account for the rise in interest compared to last year. Content sharing related to Formula E has increased by 347% among young people aged 11 to 17, with a 54% increase for those aged 18 to 24. The study also reports a 330% increase in reactions concerning the championship on social media, as well as a 128% rise in interest on Facebook among youngsters aged 13 to 17. It should be noted that the 18 to 24 age group is the most represented on the championship’s official Facebook page, ahead of the 25 to 34 age group. Finally, regarding Formula E’s Instagram page, the number of users has increased by 90% compared to last year.
We’re excited to reveal our Jaguar I-TYPE 3 concept livery. The next chapter of our #RaceToInnovate mission…#Gen2 #JaguarElectrifies #FormulaE pic.twitter.com/T66MKtbfB7
— Jaguar Racing (@JaguarRacing) 9 avril 2018
Modis becomes a partner of the championship, Enel extends its sponsorship contract.
The company Modis, specialized in IT and engineering, becomes a sponsor of the discipline as announced by Alejandro Agag, CEO of the championship, last weekend in Rome. For its part, Enel will continue to provide the electric charging equipment for the single-seaters thanks to an extension of the sponsorship contract that binds it to Formula E. This is a crucial issue since the second generation of single-seaters, which will start competing next year, will require much more energy than today. The charging stations provided by the company have a capacity of 80 kW, allowing a car to be fully charged in less than an hour.
Pedro de la Rosa becomes technical and sporting advisor for the Techeetah team.
The former F1 driver becomes, with immediate effect, a technical and sports advisor for the Chinese team Techeetah, which is currently leading the constructors’ and drivers’ championship thanks to Jean-Éric Vergne. He actually started in his role during the last race in Rome. The Spanish driver had already appeared behind the wheel of a Formula E car for the Aguri team during the Donington tests in 2016. His exact role is still to be defined, but he should be involved in the team’s on-track and internal activities as an engine partnership takes shape with DS Performance for the next season.
Thank you for reading this update on the latest information in the world of Formula E, the editors now invite you to join us for the presentation of the Paris ePrix, which will take place in two weeks.
