First Formula E race today, Saturday 13 September 2014 – update

Update: video of the entire event.

Formula One has gone hybrid, so, time for a pure electric open-wheel formula. Enter Formula E.

Times (Beijing local):
Practice 1 — 08:15
Practice 2 — 10:30
Qualifying — 12:00
Race — 16:00

Race time in other time zones:
18:00 Australian EST
10:00 Berlin
09:00 London
04:00 US Eastern
01:00 US Pacific

In this first year, it will be a one-make formula, with all teams running Spark-Renault SRT_01E cars. Spark Racing Technology will build the cars, with components supplied by a who's who of F1:

● chassis — Dallara
● powertrain & electronics — McLaren Electronics Systems
● battery pack — Williams Advanced Engineering
● tyres — Michellin — 18 inch, with a single formulation for both wet & dry conditions

Figures for the size of the battery pack are hard to find, but 28 kWh (kilo Watt hours) has been suggested. Whatever the size, after 25-30 minutes, the battery pack will be exhausted. Drivers will swap to a second car for the remainder of the race. Battery swapping was dismissed on safety grounds, & recharging was considered to be too slow.

http://www.fiaformulae.com/en.aspx

http://www.wired.com/2014/09/formula-e-electric-racing/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIA_Formula_E_Championship

Android apps

FIA Formula-e
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=biz.app4mobile.app_6b298a09239143eb9b292d9ea5e0b342.app

FIA Formula E Championship
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.qtproject.FE360

iPhone app

FIA Formula-e
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fia-formula-e/id870131263?mt=8 / Formula E all electric racing series inaugural Beijing ePrix 2.14-mile street circuit Bird’s Nest stadium races F1 FIA electricity sport electric vehicles EV terrific acceleration pass passing possible tracks with tight corners technology range race organizers identical cars Spark-Renault SRT_01E built French company Spark Racing Technology carbon fiber aluminum chassis Dallara electric powertrain electronics McLaren Electronics Systems Williams Advanced Engineering building 200 kiloWatt battery pack batteries powertrain generate 270 horsepower five-speed paddle shift gearbox fixed gear ratios Michelin 18 inch tires wet dry conditions sound 80 decibel whine full grid 20 cars FIA Formula E strategy street courses dedicated circuits tire wear grip management battery life charge prematurely testing drivers learn knowledge teams construction constructors constructing FanBoost pit stop second fully charged car advances in battery technology battery swaps charging battery Renault Michelin DHL Qualcomm Richard Branson Virgin Racing team Leonardo DiCaprio Venturi team /