Motorsports Thread
- Thread starter Reynard
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Reynard
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The season just finished did that - twice. Mexico and Monaco. Although on both occasions they didn't use the whole circuit.
The circuits you mention are long and / or has a car on full power for large percentages of the lap. With Formula E races on a 45 mins +1 lap format, it can be really tight on energy at the best of times, even for the Gen 2 cars. If teams get their numbers wrong, as happened with Nissan eDAMS in Mexico, they can run out of juice well before the end of the race.
Maybe with the next generation of Formula E cars that won't be such an issue as battery technology is coming on in leaps and bounds, but under the current regulations, there's the risk of either a) a high percentage of non-finishers on longer circuits or b) drivers cruising around and not racing just so that they can get to the end. Neither option is particularly palatable, especially the latter.
Have to say though, there's been a marked improvement in the circuit layouts used for Formula E since the series started, and the fact that it's the *only* pure street circuit championship gives it immense appeal.
The circuits you mention are long and / or has a car on full power for large percentages of the lap. With Formula E races on a 45 mins +1 lap format, it can be really tight on energy at the best of times, even for the Gen 2 cars. If teams get their numbers wrong, as happened with Nissan eDAMS in Mexico, they can run out of juice well before the end of the race.
Maybe with the next generation of Formula E cars that won't be such an issue as battery technology is coming on in leaps and bounds, but under the current regulations, there's the risk of either a) a high percentage of non-finishers on longer circuits or b) drivers cruising around and not racing just so that they can get to the end. Neither option is particularly palatable, especially the latter.
Have to say though, there's been a marked improvement in the circuit layouts used for Formula E since the series started, and the fact that it's the *only* pure street circuit championship gives it immense appeal.
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Reynard
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- Cambridgeshire, UK
Sure
But the upsides of the current format is it highlights the drivers who can overtake cleanly and those who can't...
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Deleted member 26715
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I also think they need to change the chassis rules, maybe still provide each manufacturer with a basic tub & suspension but allow them to build whatever body to it they want so they all don't look like clones. Also think they should open up the electrics more, they will get better & faster innovation if each manufacturer is allowed to provide their own power plant. I know this increases costs but they can offset that as development for their road cars.
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Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I'm not totally pat with FE technical regs, but the power trains are provided by different manufacturers, with both works and customer teams. As well as Nissan, Citroen, Audi, Mahindra and BMW (as of last season), now Mercedes and Porsche have joined the series.
An interesting factlet for you...
The team boss of DS Techeetah was my external PhD supervisor back in the day.
An interesting factlet for you...
The team boss of DS Techeetah was my external PhD supervisor back in the day.
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Deleted member 26715
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Okay I thought they all ran the same kit & there was very little they could change but like the defunct F1GP or whatever it was called
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Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
A1GP 
The restrictions in Formula E lie more in the power output regs rather than in how that power is transmitted to the drivetrain.
The restrictions in Formula E lie more in the power output regs rather than in how that power is transmitted to the drivetrain.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Oulton Park for the Wales Rally GB tomorrow !
swansonj
Guru
Time was when I would have got excited about all these issues (although my memories of Silverstone involve more sunburn than rain).
This year, for the first year in many, I went to a VSCC raceday, the new meet at Brands Hatch; and I was content. No particularly close racing, no crashes, no corporate hospitality, no advertising logos on every car surface, no eternal debating of the regulations or despairing for the future, no processions on tramlines, just the noise of Morgan engines, the smell of burnt castor oil, unfettered access to the paddock, and a whole bunch of happy people.
This year, for the first year in many, I went to a VSCC raceday, the new meet at Brands Hatch; and I was content. No particularly close racing, no crashes, no corporate hospitality, no advertising logos on every car surface, no eternal debating of the regulations or despairing for the future, no processions on tramlines, just the noise of Morgan engines, the smell of burnt castor oil, unfettered access to the paddock, and a whole bunch of happy people.
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Deleted member 26715
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Have they moved it sure it wasn't in Wales last time I was there.
I think that was in the first year when everyone had the same car. Now that there is a push for electric, they have opened up development a lot, and the manufacturers are jumping on it.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
One of the reasons that Formula E uses street circuits or heavily shortened versions of normal tracks is that the cars are just slow compared to 'normal' race cars and the tighter confines gives the impression of speed.
I've only watched a couple of the races as the noise (or lack of) produced by the electric motor puts me off. The early diesel powered Audis and Peugeots in sportscar racing were near silent but went like excrement of a digging device - you never forgot watching them enter Maggots/Becketts at Silverstone 🏎
I've only watched a couple of the races as the noise (or lack of) produced by the electric motor puts me off. The early diesel powered Audis and Peugeots in sportscar racing were near silent but went like excrement of a digging device - you never forgot watching them enter Maggots/Becketts at Silverstone 🏎
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Deleted member 1258
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Moto GP from Thailand this weekend, big crash for Marquez in first practice, Marquez just needs two points more than Dovizioso to be crowned champion this year.
