Formula E Entry into India | India is back on World Motorsport Map

Recipe E's entrance into India one year from now will check the arrival of a significant motorsport occasion in the nation and the improvement has already begun to draw an 'unreasonable' comparison with the Formula 1 car that raced in 2013 on the outskirts of National Capital.

Vicky Chandhok, who was heading the India motorsports league when Formula 1 vehicles vroomed at the Buddh International Circuit for three seasons, appropriately summarizes the absence of ‘pinnacle of motor racing and Formula E, an all-electric racing series that has taken quick steps since its debut season in 2014.

"There is nothing common in the two cars except for a steering wheel, four wheels, a brake pedal, and a throttle. F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and after that come Formula 2 and Formula 3 regarding performance.

Chandhok said “Formula 1 cars can’t be compared to an electric motor utilized in Formula E as the former runs in the internal combustion engine. It is fantastic to have Formula E back in India as it puts us back on the world motorsports.”

In terms of scale, speed, and budget, there is no competition between the two FIA sanctioned World Championships (the first, a 72-year-old series, and the other eight years old).

Electric cars are expected to fill the roads over the next 10-15 years. Formula 1 is the epitome of performance while Formula E is 'racing with a purpose

Regarding the top speed, the Formula 1 machines can exceed up to 360 Kmph while Gen 3 Formula 2 cars can exceed up to 320 Kmph, which will be introduced next year. The maximum speed of Formula 1 racing cars is 280 Kmph, there is also a huge difference in cornering speeds. 

A Formula E car is designed with a focus on sustainability than speed and is set to race on street circuits around the world. The debut race is scheduled for February 11, 2023.

Viewership

Viewership numbers have seen a massive increase.  In the 2021 season, more than 1.5 billion have seen the epic battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton throughout the 22-race season. Whereas, Formula E drew 316 million views last year in 17 race season. The series had witnessed a high of 419 million in the 2018-19 season before the pandemic grasps the world.

Budget

Until the budget cap was introduced the Formula 1 team used to spend an excess of USD 200 million in a season, which has been now limited to USD 145 million. A Formula E outfit spends around USD 15 million in an entire season, on average. This has attracted major auto manufacturers, including Mahindra, Nissan, Porsche, Jaguar, and recently McLaren to test their electric programs.

Can Formula E weekend revive Indian Motorsports?

Being a racer and administrator, Chandhok has been observing Indian Motorsports for decades and has doubts if one race can make a difference. Chandhok said, “From an event point of view, it will raise the awareness around motorsports in the nation, but I doubt that it will give any boost to Indian motorsports.”

To sum up

When Formula 1 race cars vroomed at the Buddh International Circuit for 3 seasons, Vicky Chandhok was the head of the Indian Motorsports Federation. He aptly sums up the resemblance between the 'pinnacle of motor racing and Formula E.

Want more of the world of automotive – check out the social media pages of GoMotoring. Connect anywhere, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.