Formula E: An Incoming Driver Rebellion?

If you want to see wheel to wheel action as drivers fight for the lead; Formula E is your guy. Now in the second half of it’s 10th season, FE is slowly, but surely, coming into it’s own, with it’s popularity ever on the rise. However, things aren't quite what they seem, with drivers from the series evidently not happy with the current form of racing that has transpired throughout the Gen 3 era.

One of the more interesting, yet stranger, aspects from this season of Formula E is that, although there are plenty of battles for the win, no one wants to be leading the race in the early stages, thus meaning the lead of the race changes more often than not in a "pelaton" style of racing. Something unheard of to Formula One aficionados! For some, this makes an exciting race, with close upfront battles and the unknown of who is going to win. But, for others, this isn't the type of motorsport that they want to be watching. For the drivers themselves, they want to be up at the front, racing for the win, but not like this.

“We’re here to compete, we’re here to win. If we have to drive in reverse, we are going to learn how to drive in reverse but it doesn’t mean I like this kind of racing.” - Jean-Eric Vergne

Vergne, who races for DS Penske, and can be classed as the most successful Formula E driver to date, has been particularly outspoken on the matter. The only two-time FE World Champ recently said in an interview:

“It’s horrible, honestly, I really don’t like this style of racing, I hate it. I think every driver hates it, but I think it’s the way we have to race. (...) It’s truly horrible from a driver's point of view. You’re watching from the side, behind, above, below, it’s a mess.” - JEV (Taken from Autosport)

But why are drivers having to race this way in the first place?

Simply put, it's all about energy consumption and saving as much as they can after starting the race with low energy targets. Tracks that are inundated with long straights and high-speed corners, such as Portland, Misano and Berlin, have proved to be notorious for drivers, as they slip back into the back, while saving energy in the slipstream.

And, Vergne isn't the only driver to make his feelings towards pelaton style racing heard, with Porsche's Pascal Wehrlein questioning as to whether qualifying is actually worth it when positions change so frequently in these types of races.

"But from my perspective it’s just, I’d rather take a lottery for the race start positions because it doesn’t make a difference." - Pascal Wehrlein

At the 28 lap Misano E-Prix, 8 plus drivers found themselves leading the race at one point or another. There was also a total of 19 changes for the lead. The eventual winner, Antonio Felix da Costa - who was later disqualified, started from 14th position. Third place man, Jake Dennis, started 17th. A prime example of the point Wehrlein is trying to make in regards to the necessity of qualifying at these particular races.

Despite drivers concerns, has Formula E proved that the misconception that motorsport is all about flat-out racing is just that - a misconception? The reality is, especially in electric racing, that the person and team with the best strategy win. And, they may not necessarily be the fastest either, potentially making Formula E's pelaton style racing nothing more than a geniuses work - especially from a marketing point of view. As for fans, it's like a jar of marmite. You either love it, or you hate it. Regardless, there is no denying the close wheel to wheel action that makes for great viewing and plenty of conversational chit chatter on social media platforms. It really is all about the reputation.

In the long term, however, maybe Formula E needs to hear their drivers out. At the end of the day, a racing driver wants nothing more than to go flat out. If their needs are not being met, could this indicate a slow demise for the series? I hope not.

Tell me, do you like Formula E's pelaton style of racing? What do you like about it? What do you dislike? Comments are open below!

Race Review: Berlin E-Prix Race One & Two

Race One

Ok, but how, just how, are we over half way through this year's Formula E season already? I suppose time flies when you are having fun and Race One in Berlin certainly didn't disappoint, with nail biting on track action that would even attract those who are yet to be bitten by the motorsport bug.

Kicking things off, let’s chat about that ever so common trend of drivers not wanting to lead the race. For fans, it’s guaranteed on track action. For drivers, it may not be as fun, with some even commenting their frustrations. Regardless, there were several "heart in mouth" moments during these stages of the race. Take the final battle for the win, at least seven drivers found themselves in contention, with some coming close to brushing the wall or collecting their fellow competitors as they went wheel to wheel with one another. But, somehow it would be Jaguar's Nick Cassidy to bide his time, coming through the field from 21st, to take advantage of the late race squabbling to take the win. It’s a fine example of the unknowns that Formula E constantly presents itself with.

For some time, the race seemed to be going DS Penske's way, with portions of the race led by Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Eric Vergne, alternatively. The duo even managed to put on a teammate vs teammate display as they fought for that top spot between them. Disappointgly, despite Vergne’s second place finish, it wasn’t the team’s day, with Vandoorne missing his second attack mode before coming upon, and taking evasive action so he wouldn’t hit Lucas Di Grassi facing in the wrong direction. The Season 8 champion (Vandoorne) would eventually finish in 7th. For DS Penske, and DS Penske fans, like myself, the team’s recent surge in performance is promising. Can we expect to see them near to, or at the top of the field sooner rather than later?

Of course, this is Formula E. Safety Cars are almost a given, and during this race we had two, throwing the race and driver order into complete disarray! But that’s part of the motorsport fun, right? The early appearance of the Safety Car, to retrieve Joel Eriksson’s stricken Envision Racing car, meant an incredible 6 extra laps were added at the end, topping the racing laps up to 46. Perfect in keeping the crazy last lap lunges going for a little bit longer, as well as the drivers capabilities in not running out of energy and Mitch Evan’s late attack mode activation as he tried to win the race.

If you’re wondering who Joel Eriksson is, he was one of five replacement drivers this weekend. Joining Eriksson in sitting in for drivers taking part in the World Endurance Championship was Paul Aron, Kelvin van der Linde and Jordan King. Taylor Barnard would continue to race in place of an injured Sam Bird.

Their fortunes for this race was mixed. Where Eriksson would find himself with a broken suspension, Barnard would score his first Formula E points, making him the youngest FE point scorer to date, as he continues his impressive form.

So, after incidents, punctures, 4 plus wide battles etc, it was your standard chaotic Formula E race. But that is why we love it so. And, it’s not over yet, tomorrow, we go again!

Can DS show us what they’ve really got? Can Andretti bounce back from punctures on both cars? Can our reserve drivers impressive? And, what about Jaguar? Oh, let the excitement commence!

Race Two

The best thing about a double header? It’s double the fun.

Race Two was, in some ways, eerily similar to it’s counterpart from the day before. With plenty of action from on-track battles to teammate vs teammate to several bumps and scuffs which resulted in two Safety Cars and several damaged front wings. Oh, it’s such a joy to watch Formula E.

Jake Dennis, current Andretti driver and reigning World Champion, was our pole sitter for Race Two. However, an unfortunate slow get away saw him get swallowed up by Nick Cassidy and Pascal Wehrlein before the first corner. Despite his struggle to get back into first place, Dennis gave us quite the show, as he went wheel to wheel with Wehrlein in a battle that could easily win “Battle of the Weekend,” with it’s touch and go moments as they squeezed one another into the corners and along the straights. And, this was just one battle in a much bigger fight for the win. The race quickly became a 6-7 car battle between the Porsche drivers, Jaguar drivers, Andretti drivers and the Nissan of Oliver Rowland. In stark contrasts to the previous day, Andretti’s race was seemingly more positive, while DS Penske were no where to be seen.

However, for both Andretti and DS Penske, not everything went to plan. The Andretti of Norman Nato would collide with Sascha Fenestraz’s Nissan in the latter stages of the race. Whereas Stoffel Vandoorne in the DS Penske would lock his rear tyres, also making contact with Fenestraz just moments before hand. For Fenestraz, it was an eventual DNF, his second one of the season. Nato and Vandoorne would pay the price of their misjudgments by finishing 20th and 19th, respectively. The former also receiving a ten second penalty, firmly putting an end to all hopes of scoring points. Could be worse, he could have been Max Günther who DNF’d for the second time this weekend. Another clash with the barrier destroying what would have been a home performance.

With three added laps at the end of the race, the lead battle was really heating up, with cars even going through twists and turns 3+ wide! I distinctly remember the commentators saying “this will end in tears,” and honestly, that’s exactly what I thought. But, it didn’t! Ok, there was plenty of front wing damage and drivers complaining over team radio, but this was an example of real racing and kept the viewer on the edge of their seats right up til the very end.

It would be Antonio Felix da Costa in the Porsche to take the chequered flag. A well deserved win after his disqualification at the first race in Misano. However, the real stand out of this race HAD to be Oliver Rowland. Despite receiving the black and white flag for driving standards, Rowland took advantage of the early race massacre on the attack modes, moving 11 places up the field from his starting position to find himself in contention for the win. In fact, most races this season, Rowland has been a joy to watch, with his race craft coming on in heaps and bounds in recent races. Eventually, he would come home in Berlin in 3rd. Race One’s winner, Nick Cassidy, would finish 2nd.

The Berlin double-header has been fun filled and full of excitement from a fan’s perspective. Maybe it’s one I visit in the future?

Only 6 rounds (3 double headers!) remain in 2024, and so far, Cassidy is sitting nice and comfortable at the top of the championship table. Can anyone catch him? I can’t wait to find out!

Race Review: Miami Sprint & Grand Prix 2024

I think Miami is one of those Formula One events that you either love or hate. It’s full of yachts, fake marinas, celebs, glitz and glam. The racing is just an added bonus and a continued trend in the “money is everything” stance that F1 reflects in this day and age. Obviously, as F1 aficionados, we’re here for the racing and, with the second consecutive sprint race weekend, things indeed got a little bit spicy on track!

As we know, in Formula One, Max Verstappen is the one to beat, and this weekend's Sprint Race was no different. Even Adrian Newey’s now confirmed 2025 departure from the Red Bull team didn’t deter the 3x WDC from dominating the race. And, although the racing in the Sprint was pretty sparse at the front of the field, from 4th down, it was a battle field.

Daniel Ricciardo seemed happier in his RB wagon, fighting off a feisty Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari to secure 4th for the team. His best result since 2021. Eyes, however, were more fixated upon the hair-raising battle between Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes and the Haas driver of Kevin Magnussen, with the latter using his extremely defensive ways as his choice of weapon. After cutting chicanes, pushing the Mercedes wide and pushing the battle to the limit, the Dane would find himself with three time penalties. Interestingly, post-race interviews would tell us that K-Mag was using his aggression purposefully to guarantee his teammate; Nico Hulkenberg, a points finish. Whether this was a smart or dangerous team game strategy; I’ll let you decide.

Hamilton would also find himself involved in an incident on lap one, resulting in the DNFs of Lando Norris and Lance Stroll. Fernando Alonso would also come off worse for wears with a puncture. And, although the Mercedes survived the carnage, Hamilton would later be slapped with a Drive Through Penalty for speeding through the pit lane during the Safety Car. It definitely is an interesting weekend for Mercedes. Between poor car performance and incidents, it definitely was one Sprint Race for them to forget.

I always feel, as well, that we’re constantly having to talk about stewarding decisions. Once again, poor showing from this weekend’s stewards saw the lap one Sprint incident get away without any investigation. Why, may I ask? When last time out a similar incident was investigated, with penalties dished out? Questionable decisions were also picked up on throughout the race itself - more on that later. I mean, at least they’re consistent in one thing - being inconsistent.

A fun Sprint Race meant high expectations for the Grand Prix, and boy, it did not disappoint. Something I'd never thought we'd be saying about the Miami Grand Prix, ever.

Drama in the Miami Grand Prix was triggered early on by a slow starting Charles Leclerc who, alongside Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, were nearly taken out at the first corner by the steaming Sergio Perez who locked up going into turn one. But Verstappen, ahead of the pack, was almost oblivious to the on-goings behind him and continued merrily along his way. Oscar Piastri was the big winner at turn one, benefiting from the turn one craziness, running in the top two for the first half of the race.

Despite being a fast runner in Miami, Piastri's luck wasn't on his side. And neither was Sainz's, for that matter of fact. After both loosing out to the mid-race Safety Car, pitting a lap or two before, the duo found themselves providing us with a bulk of the on-track entertainment, as they battled for 4th and 5th position. With a couple of sketchy moments, including an incident between the duo that enraged Sainz after Piastri didn't give the place back, it would all come to a head, with the two colliding and the ultimate demise of Piastri's strong Miami Grand Prix performance as he fell to the back of the pack with a broken front wing. As for Sainz, although free from any damage, he was unable to keep up with teammate Leclerc, instead having to settle for 4th position, with an eventual time penalty dropping him to 5th. Again, were the stewards correct in not investigating the first Sainz/Piastri incident; where other drivers like Lance Stroll got penalised for similar instances? Where they right in slapping Sainz with a five second time penalty? I'll let you decide that one also!

Remember that Safety Car I just mentioned? What would you say if I told you that Magnussen was the cause of that? You'd probably just laugh at this point. Yes, the main Grand Prix was quite reflective of the Haas driver's Sprint Race. However, things got a little more sketchy this time around, with the Dane taking out the Williams of Logan Sargeant midway through the race, resulting in the American driver's retirement at his home race. And, surely Magnussen is now in the running for most penalties received over the course of a race weekend, with a further ten second penalty and post-race drive through penalty added to his race time and the penalties that he received the day before. I've always admired Magnussen's "no bull-sh*t" attitude, but there is a line and this weekend he has well and truly crossed it. He may need to have his wits about him over the course of the remainder of the season as he edges ever more closer to a race ban.

Regardless, Magnussen's reckless driving rewarded fans with something special - a masterclass strategy from McLaren that saw Lando Norris beat Max Verstappen to the finish line, taking his long-awaited first ever F1 win. That's right, McLaren used the "go long" strategy, waiting as long as they could for a Safety Car. It came at the right moment for the Woking-based team, with them taking advantage of what they could. And, if it wasn't written in the stars, Verstappen, who finished an incredible 7+ seconds behind Norris, sustained floor damage after a rare mistake saw him take out the bollard at the chicane. Motorsport always has the element of surprise. That's probably how Alpine felt as their struggles momentarily disappeared, and their first points of the season were scored. Regardless, whether you are a fan of McLaren and Norris or not, what we witnessed in Miami was special, wholesome and a complete masterclass. It was pure racing, up and down the field. It was everything we love about our sport.

And, here we are full circle. Let's reword that first paragraph, shall we?

I think Miami is one of those Formula One events that you either love or hate. It may be full of yachts, fake marinas, celebs, glitz and glam and DRS trains (!) but, maybe the racing isn't just an added bonus after all, and that trend of "money is everything" only reflects part of F1 in this day and age. Obviously, as F1 aficionados, we’re here for the racing and that is what Miami gave us. Miami, you delivered, and I thank you.