I read the blog titled Formula E equals excitement or something like that. Since I don’t do Facebook I can’t post comments on the blog site. I wonder if anyone but me has watched a Formula E race. They are pure electric cars and it is supposed to be a companion series to Formula 1 which now requires hybrid race cars with regenerative braking and only 100 liters of fuel for a 2 hour race.
I watcher one Formula E race and it was like watching an electric forklift race.
Have Europeans become so politically correct that they are willing to pretend to enjoy this nonsense?
Are Formula 1 races on tv these days? I used to watch them all the time as a kid, Saturday afternoon on a delayed broadcast on ABC’s Wide World of Sports I think was the venue. I do read the monthly issue of Formula 1 magazine, interesting to hear about the technology those cars use. For a long time I couldn’t figure out what the “halo” was, finally Niki Lauda 'splained it to me in an article in that magazine.
If you Google n F1 the complete race schedule for the year will be one of the choices.
F1 seems to get good crowds, Indycar and Nascar have more empty seats than spectators these days. Nascar has completely lost its way, It became popular by guys wanting to go see races and root for the brand of car they had in their driveway. I grew up rootiog for Marshall Teauge, Tim and Fonty Flock and Lee Petty.
Now it is all gimmicks, free passes, stage racing, phantom debreis on the track, all designed to keep the big money sponsers names in front of the cameras. Also, they cut the # of cars to 40 but they don’t generally get 40 because there are 35 cars that are guaranteed a spot in every race and all the rest of the people that might like to compete, would have to fight over the last 5 spots. for the other 5 spots.
This is not a companion race to F1. They are run are very different, non-traditional venues. Usually at street races. They are targeted at a much younger demographic than typical F1 fans. A DJ spins tunes while the race is on because thee cars only make a whine and tire squeal.
The drivers actually change cars mid-race because the batteries won’t last an entire race although that will change for next season. This results in some drivers soft-pedaling the race so they can run longer and charge harder with the second car. It is a celebration of the singular failing of the electric car - slow recharge!
The races, IMHO, are like watching paint dry, a baseball pitchers dual, or golf.
Yes, F1 cars are fuel restricted hybrids. The one hybrid part boosts the turbo response, the other directly assists the engine. We aren’t sure what the 2021 engine rules will be, yet, but the hybrid turbo unit is gone and the engine will likely rev 3000 rpm higher for better sound - not something F-E can do!
I’d happily watch a forklift race if they could move as fast as the FE cars.
The main thing I strongly dislike about FE is the popularity-boost BS. I’m there to see who’s the best racer, not who has the best social media standing. Cory Doctorow and his “whuffie” economy can stay the H out of motorsports as far as I’m concerned.
Never seen it and not sure I’ll put it on my bucket list. I wonder though do the fans clap like in golf? Since it is silent, I would think they’d want to have some applause as the folks round the bend? I’ve never been to a live golf tourney though so I always suspected the clapping was like a laugh track and just edited in.
I’ve been in the audience gallery for a few pro-golf tourneys here in the SF Bay Area, Pebble Beach and the like. The clapping you hear on tv is real, not edited in. I’m an amateur golfer, and the way I play golf is absolutely nothing like the way the pro’s play the game. They are in a completely different league, playing a completely different game. They do some amazing stuff.
It was a joke George but it does remind me of the polite fans at a Toronto baseball game. It is so quiet it makes you think you at at a golf tournament.
