Ultimate Guide to Formula E

With Hyderabad preparing to host India's inaugural Formula E race on February 11, there's a lot of excitement surrounding the all-electric racing series. So, whether you're new to Formula E or want to learn more about the sport, you have landed on the right page.

What is Formula E racing?

Formula E is the world's first racing championship for electric cars. The races aren't only a race to see who can be the fastest on the circuit; teams and drivers must also manage battery energy consumption. This is where strategy comes into play; drivers must understand when to push and when to preserve energy. After all, being the quickest guy on the track is pointless if you don't have enough energy to finish the race.

This year, 11 teams are competing, including Indian outfit Mahindra Racing, with each team fielding two drivers. With Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as Jaguar's title partner, there is more Indian representation on the grid. All automobiles share the same chassis and battery. Manufacturers can create their powertrain (containing the motor, transmission, inverter, and rear suspension) and software.

Most races are hosted on temporary street tracks around the world to bring racing to city centers. Race day is likewise an action-packed affair, with practice, qualifying, and the main race all taking place on the same day.

Formula E Race Format

Formula E races, like F1, have a defined number of laps. If there is any Safety Car or yellow flag periods, more laps can be added.

Attack Mode adds another layer of strategy to the game. This provides drivers with an additional 50kW of power (up from 300kW to 350kW) and can be utilised to perform some important overtakes. Drivers must drive off the racing line and through an Activation Zone to activate this.

All drivers are given a set number of minutes in Attack Mode, which must be used in two batches. The exact duration of Attack Mode is not known until hours before each race. The teams must choose one of three choices for dividing this time. Drivers, for example, can divide a total of 4 minutes in Attack Mode into 2-2 minutes, 3-1 minutes, or 1-3 minutes.

Formula E will also test a new Attack Charge at select races this year. Drivers will be required to make a 30-second pit stop in order to receive an energy boost. This unlocks Attack Mode minutes, which players can use once they return to the track.

Qualifying Format of Formula E

The first round of qualifying is the Group Stage, in which drivers are divided into two groups based on their championship standings: those with odd rankings (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) in Group A and those with even rankings (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) in Group B.

The top four drivers from each group advance to the Duels round, where power has been increased to 350kW. Group A drivers are divided into A1 and A2, while Group B drivers are divided into B1 and B2. The pairs compete, and the quickest from each group advance to the Semi-Finals, where the fastest from each group advances to the Finals.

The two surviving drivers (one from Group A and one from Group B) will compete, and the driver who sets the quickest lap obtains pole position and starts the race from the front row.

The runner-up will be placed second, while the ousted semi-finalists will be placed third and fourth. Based on their lap times, the remaining duels competitors will fill slots five through eight. The remaining odd spaces on the grid will be filled by drivers who competed in the polesitter's group but did not advance to duels. Drivers from the opposing group will fill the remaining even spaces on the grid.

The championship will hit four new locations in 2023, beginning with the Hyderabad E-Prix on February 11, followed by Cape Town, Sao Paulo, and Portland.

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