[Omkar]

This year Formula E will enter its 10th season and to be honest, the first 9 seasons haven’t been able to grab a lot of attention. Yes, there is an interest around the sport as it happens all around the world on city roads, but not outright fandom. Even when I attended the Formula E race in Hyderabad last year, it wasn’t like the stands were empty. A lot of people attended the event just because something exciting was happening in the city. Unfortunately, we won’t be having the Hyderabad E-Prix this year. But overall, if you ask motorsport enthusiasts, the sport hasn’t managed to grab anyone’s attention even after 9 seasons. Here are some of the reasons why I think that the sport hasn’t picked up.


Comparison with Formula 1 – It’s called 'Formula E', so comparisons will be made to the long-running traditional Formula 1. And as long as you compare it with Formula 1, Formula E will always feel underwhelming because of the lack of spectacle and the lack of strategic involvement of the team. There are no pitstops anymore, so no significant tyre disadvantage or chances of a slow pitstop. Formula E cars are also significantly slower than Formula 1 cars which isn't very exciting.

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Too many experiments – Technological advances will lead to the evolution of race cars and that’s inevitable. Formula E cars are in their 3rd generation, but there have been a lot of rule changes through the years and it feels more like an arcade game rather than a serious racing competition. For starters, there was a car swap in the initial years which was hilarious. Then there was also a rule where the audience would vote for their favourite driver and that driver would get a ‘FanBoost’ which was a temporary power boost in his car. Then there’s an attack mode which is still a thing in the current seasons where the drivers have to go offline to get an extra dose of power for a limited time. This adds to a bit of action but feels very Mario Kart-like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DC8orqtUqU

Conserving Energy – Having a pole position in Formula E isn’t much of an advantage as is with Formula 1. Running behind the leader will help you conserve energy that can be used later on in the race to perform an overtake. Drafting is done to harvest energy to make an opportunistic overtake which kind of takes away from the fastest driver. Now on the other end like we saw last season in Formula 1, Max Verstappen was taking wins from pole position, such a thing isn’t seen very often in Formula E. In essence, it takes a bit away from the driver's skill which is something enthusiasts may not like.

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Too much contact – Again in comparison with F1, there is a lot more contact in Formula E. One of the reasons why F1 feels a lot more exciting is that drivers are extremely careful with their cars. A slight damage can cost them time every lap and that’s why drivers have to overtake purely based on skill. In comparison, you will see a lot more contact in Formula E races which seems borderline reckless even. There was a race where a driver lost a major part of his front wing and still ended up driving at the same pace as before and even finishing in the same place.


Not all is lost though. The sport is growing and while it may not attract a lot of traditional fans, it does have some new fans who are environmentally conscious. Also, the fact is that Formula E has an exclusive license to host a FIA-sanctioned electric championship through 2039. All the other motorsports have gained popularity over the years, be it 24 Hours of Le Mans, the WRC, the Dakar Rally or even GT car racing. And while Formula E is still comparatively new, 2039 isn’t very far. Formula E will have to find ways to get some good traction and more audience and that too very quickly. IMO, at this point, it is Formula E that is Driving to Survive.

Do share your thoughts on Formula E and whether or not you find it exciting.

[GTO]

It's very b-o-r-i-n-g, Omkar.

Formula 1 itself is struggling to get my attention race-after-race (although latest season has been good). But Formula E? There is no noise, no drama, teams are leaving, no differentiator. It looks like toy cars racing against each other.

Not to forget, the poor marketing & image building. How many drivers have you heard of from the 2024 grid? https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/...mula-e-in-2024. We have to admit that Max, Hamilton, Alonso, Perez, Leclerc, Norris etc. add a "face" and personality to Formula 1. Back in the day, I watched F1 because of Schumacher, Hakkinen, Senna as much as for the on-track action.

They need more iconic tracks too https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/calendar

[ex-innova-guy]

Thank you Omkar for compiling this thread. Quite informative and revealing to me. I have been watching F1 for quite a while now but never bothered to read/know more about Formula E. I feel it’s a bit too boring and they have failed to gather enough attention. Frankly, F1 ESPORTS is even more interesting to watch than this.

[Redex]

Hi,
I constantly hear all the hype about electric car power, acceleration and instant torque ?
So how come Formula E is slower than Formula 1 ?
Maybe something to do with all of the dead weight they have to lug around. Like the 1.5/2.0 tonne "sporty electric trucks" I see on the road. Sorry not "trucks" but truck frames with a sporty body fitted !!!
I will stick to my diesel until something better and more practical comes along.
Don't forget the diesel Audi R10, 3 times winner of the 24hr Le Mans and it doesn't sound like a hair dryer!!!
Audi showcased the eTron Audi A8 at the 24 hr Le Mans. It didn't compete as a fast charge took 2.5 hours ha ha ha ! In that time the Audi R10 had covered over 800kms including a 2 minute pitstop 🤣😂😆

[Nick_Wanderlust]

I have been trying to watch Formula E for some time, but it is not exciting compared to Formula One.

Circuit Layout and Mood: The way the track is set up in Formula-E races might make people feel a little confined, especially those tall wire barriers on its side. In comparison, Formula One race tracks tend to feel bigger and more open.

Multiple Contact/Shoving: There is more shoving in Formula E, especially when the tracks turn. It feels that drivers aren't skilled, which makes the racing seem less professional compared to Formula One.

Lack of Pit-stop Excitement: The lack of pit-stop tactics in Formula E makes the races less exciting and strategic. In Formula One, pit stops often add a level of planning and unpredictability!

[ZenMaster]

Because it doesn't offer anything new, while taking out all the things that make racing especially F1 Interesting.

The Noise, the cutting-edge looking cars, the rivalry between legendary teams and the fight for survival of the upstarts, the Engineering competition between teams with someone bringing new updates each week and also the high stakes strategy/chess game teams have to play at 300kmph - all of these are missing.

And the biggest sin, The track layout. Formula E Track-layout is horrible. On top of being only street tracks, because of how its layed out, the Camera angles are always horrible. It doesn't give us the feeling of speed that F1 provides while also having 0 Noise.
The only thing you can hear is a faint motor whine and Crumbling Carbon Fibre when the Polygon-cars crash into each other.

[GForceEnjoyer]

There really is no drama and you don't feel involved at all. Unless you're staring at the track the whole time, you'll miss out on whatever fun this has to offer. No screaming engines, no reasons to get your adrenaline pumping, you get the idea.

Having seen the street circuit in Hyderabad in person multiple times, let me tell you that it's one boring track, at least as a potential spectator. That's another problem, only racing on street circuits.

It's like watching pseudo-F1 from behind an all-insulating glass wall that snatches away the visceral aspect of the sport.

On a different note, the fiasco with the Formula E race in Hyderabad will leave a very bad taste in their mouth, what with having to cancel the race barely a month before it's scheduled date. We might see Formula E becoming another F1 and never returning. This is the second time something like this has happened in India!

[ex-innova-guy]

Originally Posted by Redex

I constantly hear all the hype about electric car power, acceleration and instant torque? So how come Formula E is slower than Formula 1 ?

A lot is because of the R&D and funding involved in F1 cars. The budget although has limits, each team is striving to do their best and pushing each other. Same cannot be said for Formula E. Also, F1 drivers usually bring their own sponsorship to team and are way more skilled than the Formula E ones.

[Redex]

Originally Posted by ex-innova-guy

A lot is because of the R&D and funding involved in F1 cars. The budget although has limits, each team is striving to do their best and pushing each other. Same cannot be said for Formula E. Also, F1 drivers usually bring their own sponsorship to team and are way more skilled than the Formula E ones.

Hi,
The first car to break to the 100kmh record was a battery electric car in 1899. That's 125 years ago !!! How much R and D time do electric cars need

[RMN]

1. F1 is itself not very interesting these days tbh
2. Is FormulaE really intended to attract fans? I doubt, it should be more of a testing ground which will eventually replace F1.

F1, MotoGP & WSBK (I'm sure other motorsports too) already have couple of lower tier classes - which people don't really follow. Where are they going to have the time to following a beta testing event?


or....just mash it into Drive to Survive, they can instantly generate a lot of pseudo fans

[samyD]

For me, it is the sound (or lack thereof) of F-E cars.

I was drawn to F-1 because of the sound of erstwhile NA V12s & V10s. The sound made by those engines still stirs emotions in my heart. That sound carried a sense of drama. It would sound 'fast' even while taking a tight corner in 1st gear. And the subsequent aggressive acceleration with those upshifts. Oh man! There was a time in my life when I could just listen to the engine soundtrack and guess the circuit name. I still watch old F-1 races just for the sound.

Somehow I've made peace with the turbo era of F-1. I tried watching F-E many a times but it doesn't hold my attention for long. I feel like I'm watching toy cars racing in a street circuit. No sense of drama or even speed!

So I continue to be in touch with F-1 but have stopped following F-E.

[McLaren Rulez]

We have to wait till Liberty decides to prioritize Formula E over Formula 1.

It will happen in the next ten years and then you'll see the top drivers, engineers, commentators etc. move over to Formula E. F1 will become a gentleman's sport, like DTM.

[Small Bot]

I have never heard of Formula E before. Either I'm been living under a rock, or it's been that boring.

These days, even more than Formula 1 and MotoGP, I end up drifting towards a bit more thrilling stuff like WRC and Isle of Man TT. That's where most of the madmen end up racing.

I'd probably go watch a Formula E at least once for the novelty of it, if it happened in my city though.

[parik_ind]

Motor racing is not just about the race, but everything that goes with it. While Formula 1's appeal has seesawed over the last decade or so, I am still constantly looking at what is happening both on and off track. Everything from different interpretations of the rules (when it comes to design and the engine), the pre-season testing, the blown-out rivalries between drivers/ team principals, the iconic status that these teams (or parent brands) enjoy, the pit stops (I would love it if refueling is reintroduced) to name a few make a huge difference. I don't think Formula E has matured to be able to provide these.

Another critical element when it comes to racing is the whole atmosphere and a big component of that is the sound from the engines. I have not attended a Formula E race but have been to Formula 1 and I am pretty confident that the F1 spectacle trumps the former. Even on TV, the electric whine is overshadowed by high revving F1 engines.

Parikshith

[CarGuy_DM]

Formula E is boring. It’s as simple as that.

Formula 1 for that matter is also not that much interesting as it used to be earlier. Dominant drivers and teams have made it monotonous.

Formula 1 was on the brink when a superb Netflix documentary reignited it and particularly help F1 popularity in the US.

Gen-Z isn’t interested in motorsports I guess. Look at the plight of MotoGP. Gen-Z is up in arms against anything related to fossil fuels. Although that approach is also debatable. But that doesn’t harbour well for the future of either motorsport.