CARS GLOBALMAG August 2016 | Page 58

THE FORMULA E (RE)CHARGE So with season two down in the history books, there comes the question. Did Formula E win or lose? Amidst an ocean of marketing information surrounding the electric-powered racing series, one starts wondering. No doubt, Formula E has won where everybody had tipped it to lose, and lose bad. The sport’s fundamentals. It featured top-class drivers, exciting battles, overtakes, on-the-edge action, surprises. It was a great racing show. On the other hand, there is still little to report on what Formula E was supposed to excel. Technology and innovation have yet to start their race while so much is being compromised for operational and budget reasons. How ironic that cars on the market can go for more than 500 kilometers and the supposedly advanced racing counterparts still require midrace car change two years after their introduction. Raise your hand who doesn’t think this keeps giving a bad name to electric cars, with the bro-friendly message being: “Yo man, wanna buy an electric car? Better buy two or you’ll get stuck on the road”. Beyond this, another factor comes into play: sales. The real, outstanding victory of Formula E came on a totally different plan than real life. They created a credible version of a zero emission racing dream and they were able to sell it using its strongest pillars. No emissions, no noise. How cool. But more than that, it was the aura of environmental virginity that made the difference for car manufacturers and local authorities, even if that virginity was long gone, or never actually existed. Sort of like: “Forget that huge heavy oil/nuclear/coal plants in the suburbs, now we got Formula E racing in the city center, man we’re so eco-friendly”. In today’s world, it’s the message that counts, and Formula E struck the right chords. Also, new fans have come. And even though most of them aren’t actually interested in motorsports but mostly attracted by the glamorous novelty, if no one tries to welcome new people in, the prospects for racing will remain as sad as they currently are.