The Lucas di Grassi Formula E Thread

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 11 Jan 2015, 16:47

johnston21 wrote:All sessions from the season are avail. for replay on the FE app (under "Live").

That's absolutely spectacular, how are the FIA getting things like this so right with FE but so wrong with F1?

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 11 Jan 2015, 16:51

shinji wrote:
johnston21 wrote:All sessions from the season are avail. for replay on the FE app (under "Live").

That's absolutely spectacular, how are the FIA getting things like this so right with FE but so wrong with F1?

By virtue of not owning the television rights to F1.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 11 Jan 2015, 16:59

shinji wrote:
johnston21 wrote:All sessions from the season are avail. for replay on the FE app (under "Live").

That's absolutely spectacular, how are the FIA getting things like this so right with FE but so wrong with F1?

Because Bernie's not involved with FE perhaps?

AND Salvador Duran has been excluded for exceeding maximum power usage. :roll:

That's ruined SOOOPPPPPAAAA AGUUUURRRRIIIIII's day. But it means that Venturi score an extra point with Stephane Sarrazin, F1 Reject.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 11 Jan 2015, 17:09

Klon wrote:
shinji wrote:
johnston21 wrote:All sessions from the season are avail. for replay on the FE app (under "Live").

That's absolutely spectacular, how are the FIA getting things like this so right with FE but so wrong with F1?

By virtue of not owning the television rights to F1.

Fair enough, just shows the virtues of starting fresh with no contractual or legal baggage.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 11 Jan 2015, 17:43

johnston21 wrote:All sessions from the season are avail. for replay on the FE app (under "Live").

An app? And it's free? Rubbish. No one should be able to watch racing and not expect to pay some sort of subscription. This just proves that all that social media nonsense or whatever it is is a complete waste of time.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 12 Jan 2015, 11:20

Just want to add that I thought that it was good and appropriate to see a minute's silence on the grid before the start to commemorate the recent events in Paris. Naturally, Jean Todt was involved with participating. And the applause afterwards demonstrated everybody's approval of the event.

watka · Post by **watka** » 13 Jan 2015, 01:02

Amlin Aguri winning was a special moment for this forum. They're the 2nd worst team on the grid, yet they pulled it off! Shame I didn't watch it live only on replay.

Have got to say that Lucas di Grassi would have smashed everyone had he not been the victim of suspension failure. With Chandhok going out the same way, I'd say the suspensions were Reject of the Race. They really need to look into them before the next race.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 13 Jan 2015, 11:19

watka wrote:Have got to say that Lucas di Grassi would have smashed everyone had he not been the victim of suspension failure. With Chandhok going out the same way, I'd say the suspensions were Reject of the Race. They really need to look into them before the next race.

That is the one and only reason why I am glad that there are two months until the next race. I remember the commentators during the race explain that the electrical motors are heavier than regular internal combustion engines. But this should have been factored into the design, as well as the fact that it was known that these cars would be racing on street tracks, notorious for not being as smooth as purpose-built race tracks (plus the fact that barriers will always be closer to the edge of the track on a street course).

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 19 Jan 2015, 08:14

I'm getting a bit bored of street circuits now, which surprises me to be honest.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jan 2015, 11:05

CoopsII wrote:I'm getting a bit bored of street circuits now, which surprises me to be honest.

I can understand why they want city centre races (which then means street tracks). But Britain already has plenty of purpose-built race tracks. And Brands Hatch is close to London, and the Indy configuration is within the length of track that FE was looking for. And minimal set-up costs, with most of the track visible from most of the viewing area (more so than at many other race tracks like Monza and Silverstone). Also guaranteed to be free for use on both the Saturday and Sunday...

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 19 Jan 2015, 12:24

dr-baker wrote:
CoopsII wrote:I'm getting a bit bored of street circuits now, which surprises me to be honest.

I can understand why they want city centre races (which then means street tracks). But Britain already has plenty of purpose-built race tracks. And Brands Hatch is close to London, and the Indy configuration is within the length of track that FE was looking for. And minimal set-up costs, with most of the track visible from most of the viewing area (more so than at many other race tracks like Monza and Silverstone). Also guaranteed to be free for use on both the Saturday and Sunday...

While I quite bored with most of British permanent circuits. The enviroment is dull. Still FE could race on the bike's road race circuits (ex: Oliver's Mount, Scarborough)

I believe Trois-Rivieres is good enough for FE

Not to mention USA's street tracks uses by IMSA GTP, Trans Am, and others around 80s to early 2000s. I like them :_;

watka · Post by **watka** » 19 Jan 2015, 13:10

dr-baker wrote:
CoopsII wrote:I'm getting a bit bored of street circuits now, which surprises me to be honest.

I can understand why they want city centre races (which then means street tracks). But Britain already has plenty of purpose-built race tracks. And Brands Hatch is close to London, and the Indy configuration is within the length of track that FE was looking for. And minimal set-up costs, with most of the track visible from most of the viewing area (more so than at many other race tracks like Monza and Silverstone). Also guaranteed to be free for use on both the Saturday and Sunday...

The street tracks really serves the purpose of bringing the series to the people. I'm excited by the prospect of being able to hop on a train and go up to London to see a race rather than driving for a couple of hours to an airfield in the middle of nowhere. As a general rule of thumb also, slower cars (like Formula E) are better on street circuits as the speeds are similar and they have to, and can, take risks to get past each other, whereas faster cars work better on larger, wider purpose built facilities with more than one line through corners as they simply can't take the risk of passing with the barriers so close.

Now don't get me wrong, I am the last person who'd want to see Monaco disappear from the F1 calendar. But I primarily appreciate it's presence for the purposes of variety above anything else. In terms of being a quality race track, well it says something that the "best" Monaco GPs have all been destruction derbies.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jan 2015, 13:59

Well, there are definite arguments on both sides. For Formula E, I think it is great that they are only racing on city-centre tracks - it's a USP, and they are attempting to sell the idea of electric powertrains to as wide an audience as possible. And with the speeds that the cars are currently attaining, maybe avoiding direct comparison of speeds with other formulae is apt (no, not Abt, I said apt...).

But now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder how they would cope with gradients like that through Eau Rouge or through Paddock Hill Bend and then up to Druids, or even the first turn at Austin... Bound to have an effect on battery charge?

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 19 Jan 2015, 16:32

dr-baker wrote:
CoopsII wrote:I'm getting a bit bored of street circuits now, which surprises me to be honest.

I can understand why they want city centre races (which then means street tracks). But Britain already has plenty of purpose-built race tracks. And Brands Hatch is close to London, and the Indy configuration is within the length of track that FE was looking for. And minimal set-up costs, with most of the track visible from most of the viewing area (more so than at many other race tracks like Monza and Silverstone). Also guaranteed to be free for use on both the Saturday and Sunday...

You can't really think they should run the entire series in Britain, though, do you?

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 19 Jan 2015, 19:34

CoopsII wrote:
dr-baker wrote:
CoopsII wrote:I'm getting a bit bored of street circuits now, which surprises me to be honest.

I can understand why they want city centre races (which then means street tracks). But Britain already has plenty of purpose-built race tracks. And Brands Hatch is close to London, and the Indy configuration is within the length of track that FE was looking for. And minimal set-up costs, with most of the track visible from most of the viewing area (more so than at many other race tracks like Monza and Silverstone). Also guaranteed to be free for use on both the Saturday and Sunday...

You can't really think they should run the entire series in Britain, though, do you?

No, of course not. I was just suggesting a purpose-built track in place of London's street/park track. Although I would like to see in five to ten years some national feeder series that would then feed into the main international/world series.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 23 Jan 2015, 16:56

According to a report on Autosport, Jarno Trulli's 10-place grid penalty for a gearbox change at the next round in Miami has been revoked. Why? Because he has already served the penalty at the last round in Argentina! He changed the gearbox between qually and the race last time out, therefore was in a position to pay the price there... :roll:

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 23 Jan 2015, 22:23

dr-baker wrote:According to a report on Autosport, Jarno Trulli's 10-place grid penalty for a gearbox change at the next round in Miami has been revoked. Why? Because he has already served the penalty at the last round in Argentina! He changed the gearbox between qually and the race last time out, therefore was in a position to pay the price there...

What are the rules regarding gearbox changes?

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 23 Jan 2015, 22:30

andrew wrote:
dr-baker wrote:According to a report on Autosport, Jarno Trulli's 10-place grid penalty for a gearbox change at the next round in Miami has been revoked. Why? Because he has already served the penalty at the last round in Argentina! He changed the gearbox between qually and the race last time out, therefore was in a position to pay the price there...

What are the rules regarding gearbox changes?

Same as in F1, I believe. 10 place penalty in the race following the change of gearbox. Don't know off the top of my head how often new boxes are introduced.

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 26 Jan 2015, 23:33

This series is epic. I've intended to watch a race live and missed it for the second time running now (for the Uruguayan race, the livestream was having problems and I gave up, but this time I simply forgot) and I hope third time will be lucky. I also can't wait until F-E comes to Europe.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 27 Jan 2015, 12:47

Waris wrote:This series is epic. I've intended to watch a race live and missed it for the second time running now (for the Uruguayan race, the livestream was having problems and I gave up, but this time I simply forgot) and I hope third time will be lucky. I also can't wait until F-E comes to Europe.

Are you planning on attending any of the races yourself? I think some of us are planning on going to the race in London, at Battersea Park.

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 29 Jan 2015, 19:20

dr-baker wrote:
Waris wrote:This series is epic. I've intended to watch a race live and missed it for the second time running now (for the Uruguayan race, the livestream was having problems and I gave up, but this time I simply forgot) and I hope third time will be lucky. I also can't wait until F-E comes to Europe.

Are you planning on attending any of the races yourself? I think some of us are planning on going to the race in London, at Battersea Park.

As cool as that would be, I very much doubt it at this point, considering I'm not exactly financially sound. (I am practically Caterham.) If I did it would probably more likely to be the one in Berlin anyway.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 29 Jan 2015, 20:42

Waris wrote:As cool as that would be, I very much doubt it at this point, considering I'm not exactly financially sound. (I am practically Caterham.) If I did it would probably more likely to be the one in Berlin anyway.

I can imagine that Berlin would indeed be more convenient from Amsterdam. I would like to get to Berlin for their FE round, but again money is tight. If you're Caterham, then I suppose my finances are like Marussia's.

AdrianBelmonte_ · Post by **AdrianBelmonte_** » 30 Jan 2015, 10:00

dr-baker wrote:If you're Caterham, then I suppose my finances are like Marussia's.

Well, my finances are like Connew, i win

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 30 Jan 2015, 10:26

AdrianBelmonte_ wrote:
dr-baker wrote:If you're Caterham, then I suppose my finances are like Marussia's.

Well, my finances are like Connew, i win

The only way that that could be beaten is if someone's finances are like MasterCard Lola's, I suppose...

watka · Post by **watka** » 30 Jan 2015, 13:54

dr-baker wrote:
AdrianBelmonte_ wrote:
dr-baker wrote:If you're Caterham, then I suppose my finances are like Marussia's.

Well, my finances are like Connew, i win

The only way that that could be beaten is if someone's finances are like MasterCard Lola's, I suppose...

Did any team go bankrupt before they even got a chance to go to a race weekend?

tBone · Post by **tBone** » 30 Jan 2015, 14:16

watka wrote:
Did any team go bankrupt before they even got a chance to go to a race weekend?

US F1?

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 30 Jan 2015, 16:53

tBone wrote:
watka wrote:Did any team go bankrupt before they even got a chance to go to a race weekend?

US F1?

And PURE as an engine manufacturer, I suppose? And Al Melling's engine, the Powertech V10, never made it into a race car.

Post by **Londoner** » 03 Feb 2015, 09:31

Good news, we're getting a 10th Formula E race this year. Formula E will be going to the land of the Tsars between the Berlin and London rounds. Circuit looks positively vicious as well.

madmark1974 · Post by **madmark1974** » 03 Feb 2015, 10:28

East Londoner wrote:Good news, we're getting a 10th Formula E race this year. Formula E will be going to the land of the Tsars between the Berlin and London rounds. Circuit looks positively vicious as well.

Ooh, like the look of that. Somewhat like a fat Brontosaurus!

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 03 Feb 2015, 19:39

East Londoner wrote:Good news, we're getting a 10th Formula E race this year. Formula E will be going to the land of the Tsars between the Berlin and London rounds. Circuit looks positively vicious as well.

They can just add an extra race to a season when it's already started? What meaning does the calendar have?

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 03 Feb 2015, 19:48

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Good news, we're getting a 10th Formula E race this year. Formula E will be going to the land of the Tsars between the Berlin and London rounds. Circuit looks positively vicious as well.

They can just add an extra race to a season when it's already started? What meaning does the calendar have?

Not every championship has it's races locked into watertight contracts like F1 you know!

You should see the F1 H2O calender development - a month to the first race and they still have to finalise half of the races!

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 03 Feb 2015, 20:03

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Good news, we're getting a 10th Formula E race this year. Formula E will be going to the land of the Tsars between the Berlin and London rounds. Circuit looks positively vicious as well.

They can just add an extra race to a season when it's already started? What meaning does the calendar have?

This could mean there's still hope for Korea.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 03 Feb 2015, 20:20

Simtek wrote:
UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Good news, we're getting a 10th Formula E race this year. Formula E will be going to the land of the Tsars between the Berlin and London rounds. Circuit looks positively vicious as well.

They can just add an extra race to a season when it's already started? What meaning does the calendar have?

This could mean there's still hope for Korea.

Yeah, FOM would just have to cease to exist somehow first.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 03 Feb 2015, 20:25

Salamander wrote:
Simtek wrote:This could mean there's still hope for Korea.

Yeah, FOM would just have to cease to exist somehow first.

It'll happen! My faith in humanity isn't totally dead yet!

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 04 Mar 2015, 19:00

That's nice, an extra race, but personally I really hate that they removed the February 14 round. It took the good momentum that they had built up out of it a bit, if you ask me. (although, if the next race is as good as what we've seen so far, that'll be right back no problem) And now the only motorsports on February 14 was a second-tier NASCAR race at Daytona, which of course I ended up not watching.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 05 Mar 2015, 18:54

The Andretti merry-go-round continues - now they have a line-up consisting of two ex-Toro Rosso and reject drivers: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117918

watka · Post by **watka** » 06 Mar 2015, 13:09

Simtek wrote:The Andretti merry-go-round continues - now they have a line-up consisting of two ex-Toro Rosso and reject drivers: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117918

Make sense with Speed looking to take up a drive with them in Indycar. Will be interesting to see him on the same grid as Nelson Piquet Jr, especially if they were to collide... :roll:

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 06 Mar 2015, 15:51

watka wrote:
Simtek wrote:The Andretti merry-go-round continues - now they have a line-up consisting of two ex-Toro Rosso and reject drivers: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117918

Make sense with Speed looking to take up a drive with them in Indycar. Will be interesting to see him on the same grid as Nelson Piquet Jr, especially if they were to collide...

already been done in the RedBull Ameri-*cough* GLOBAL, sorry, Rallycross Championship.

that's Speed in the 7up Andretti Polo.....engaged in a t-bone nudge with Piquet Jr in his red n black OMSE Fiesta

johnston21 · Post by **johnston21** » 14 Mar 2015, 14:23

Is Fan Boost working for anyone atm? Also, is anyone getting Practice streamed via the Formula E app atm?

Both seems to be out of commission for me (atm).

Got the Practice 2 stream working via the website (just don't select US or Canada)...

Zergon · Post by **Zergon** » 14 Mar 2015, 14:39

johnston21 wrote:Is Fan Boost working for anyone atm? Also, is anyone getting Practice streamed via the Formula E app atm?

Both seems to be out of commission for me (atm).

Stream works for me now, didn´t work at practice 1 though.

Total of four changes on driver line-up for this race.
The mandatory Andretti driver change sees Mario Andretti being replaced by Scott Speed (as already reported)
Loic Duvan is replacing Oriol Servia who apparently has been promoted to director of Dragon Racing.
Charles Pic is back in Formula E but with China Racing as he replaces Ho-Pin Tung.
and Michela Cerruti is replaced by Vitantonio Liuzzi.

I really hope they would keep same drivers for a whole season but guess that´s not going to happen anytime soon.