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Thread: Formula E - The New Hotness?

  1. #71
    Junior Potato
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crazed_Insanity View Post
    Anyway, I'm surprised that they don't have rear wings anymore? Just rear fins? It's also cool to be able to hear tire/rubber sounds as they turn!
    Aero balance as compared to available grip levels, I'd imagine. Plus novel ways to produce downforce. Have you seen the Peugeot 9X8 hypercar that is running Le Mans this year? No rear wing at all.

    If you think no rear wing is crazy, then you'll be blown away by late-70s/early-80s F1 cars that had no front wings.

  2. #72
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    That Peugeot is gorgeous!

    Anyway, I’m assuming no rear wing should also mean less aero disturbances and that should mean easier passing? New FE cars doesn’t look like they’re hard to pass based on the YouTube highlight I saw, but perhaps a bit hard to steer? Or perhaps drivers are just too weak?

    Hope this new series can really catch on and eventually help develop new tech for future EVs.

  3. #73
    Severed Member JoeW's Avatar
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    It might as well be a spec series. Cars seem identical. You won't see cars blasting past one another on the straight. Most passing is done on the brakes. I imagine most of the racing is done in the onboard computer that manages your power efficiency. If you use too much too early you need to back off later in the race. Or save early and push later. One guy ran out of power going across the line last race.

    I wish there was more leeway in individual designs. With all the cars being basically identical there isn't a lot of passing. But they are very close together the majority of the time. Then they have the allotted power boosts during the race...but honestly it doesn't seem to make a ton of difference. Even when under power boost you don't see guys blowing past other guys.

    I will continue to watch....would like to see either power or less grip or both. Let's see some car control so it looks like they are driving on the ragged edge.

  4. #74
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    EV market is still relatively small... and the world's biggest EV maker isn't even involved in Formula E yet... so can't really expect a whole lot of money being poured into this at the moment. Frankly I'm already pretty impressed with what they have so far.

    When the day comes for FE cars to be able to run on the same F1 tracks and the distances, that's probably when majority of cars on earth will be EVs...

    Whatever limitations we see on track now, these same limitations will apply on the road.

    Hopefully as this series stabilizes and grows, it'll truly become a R&D playground for EVs. Refueling or recharge time ought to be included as part of the race! Improving this tech will be more effective than banning ICEs if we want the mass to truly and willingly adopt EVs. If it's not better and cheaper, conversion will likely be slow...

    Anyway, based on the highlights I saw, I thought the race went pretty well. The main thing lacking seems to be some of the drivers... They don't have any star drivers, right? Star drivers still gravitate toward F-1.
    Last edited by Crazed_Insanity; January 18th, 2023 at 09:54 AM.

  5. #75
    Severed Member JoeW's Avatar
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    So I’m watching the FE race in Monaco. So much better racing than F1 at the same track. The cars are half the size of F1 and it makes for some great 3 wide action.

    First time I’ve been able to see them at a F1 venue before. FE just does Monaco much better and it highlights the need to get F1 cars back to a smaller size.

  6. #76
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    Also one noticeable thing. They can pass each other!
    Yeah F1 cars are far too big now.
    Nick Cassidy, in my opinion, deserves an F1 test drive at least. Maybe the 2nd Toro Rosso seat...

  7. #77
    Relaxing and enjoying life MR2 Fan's Avatar
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    Agreed F1 cars are too big now. Do we know the reason why they're so large these days? It's not due to engine size, that's for sure!

  8. #78
    Corvette Enthusiast Kchrpm's Avatar
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    I just watched a video comparison on the F1TV app comparing the current F1 and IndyCars, and they say that F1 cars are currently so long (longer than IndyCars, which I did not realize) for aerodynamic purposes.
    Get that weak shit off my track

  9. #79
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MR2 Fan View Post
    Agreed F1 cars are too big now. Do we know the reason why they're so large these days? It's not due to engine size, that's for sure!
    2 reasons:

    The PU and its ancilliaries are more comfortably packaged lengthwise.
    A longer car is a more stable platform for giving the cars their aero fix.

    IMHO, those are two good reasons to chop off a meter of total length and another half a meter of wheelbase.

    Formula 1s are wasted aero junkies, it's long past intervention time, they needed to go cold turkey yesterday.
    acket.

  10. #80
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    Cold turkey is too damn hard!

    Maybe they could have a new sprint race format? Let the F-1 drivers duke it out in identically prepared go-kart or whatever race cars that's smaller and without aero devices. Points will only be award in driver's championships and not alter the manufacturer's points of course!

    If the sprint show is more exciting to watch, then maybe F-1 will finally be motivated enough to alter rules to make their car's smaller and more raceable?

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