Formula E coming to SA

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Anakha56
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Formula E coming to SA

Post by Anakha56 »

http://www.wheels24.co.za/News/SA-up-fo ... s-20120827
SA up for world electric-car series
2012-08-27 21:26

London - A global Formula E series of battery-car races will start in 2014 with motor sport's governing body having licensed the commercial rights to a Hong Kong consortium.

One could be run in Cape Town.

A statement on Monday said London-based Spanish businessman Enrique Banuelos would be the lead investor in Formula E Holdings with compatriot and fellow shareholder Alejandro Agag the chief executive.

10 CITIES, 10 RACES

British businessman Paul Drayson, a former science minister and amateur racing driver who runs Drayson Racing Technologies, is also involved in a project that will cost the equivalent of about half a billion rands to launch.

The promoters said the series, sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation (IAF) wanted races in at least 10 cities - of which five will be in Europe. Among those desired are Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing as well as Mumbai, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Mexico City, Miami and Los Angeles.

Cape Town is also on the list.

Agag told Reuters there was already an agreement in place with Rio while a race around Berlin's Brandenburg Gate would be the first choice for Germany. The plans are for a grid of 10 teams and 20 drivers in 2014, expanding to 14 teams in 2015, with entrants able to use their own cars or one based on a Formulec EF01 prototype which has already achieved a top speed of 240km/h.

Races will be an hour in duration but, because the batteries will last only 15-20 minutes, there will be two pit stops for fresh cars.

'SPECTACULAR SERIES'

IAF president Jean Todt said in the statement: "This new competition at the heart of major cities is certain to attract a new audience. The new events will provide a great way to engage the younger generation.

"This spectacular series will offer entertainment and a new opportunity to share the federation's values with a wide audience as clean energy, mobility and sustainability."

The season-winning team will get two-million euros and race-winning drivers will share a four-million euro prize fund.

Agag expected the championship to become the framework for research and development of battery cars.

"We don't expect the big carmakers to step into Formula E in the beginning. The industry is not too familiar with electric racing but I am sure they will arrive in a second stage.

"We are open to any partnership with a big carmaker."

BERNIE'S THERE TOO

Agag, a son-in-law of former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Aznar, already owns teams in the Formula 1 support series GP2 and GP3 under his Addax investment brand.

He also joined F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone and former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore in buying English soccer club Queens Park Rangers.

The team was later sold to Malaysian aviation entrepreneur Tony Fernandes who owns the Caterham F1 team.
*yawn*

Give me a proper F1 race dammit! I dont care about electric look a like's, I want the real deal. This is going to be as big a fail as the A1 series...
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by ryanrich »

Yeah I still have my hopes up that they actually manage to bring F1 back. Once you've watched that, little else will do...
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by Ron2K »

^^ I may be the exception rather than the rule, but right now, I don't want to see F1 in South Africa. With the way that Bernie Ecclestone is controlling things at the moment, I feel that it would be a liability that we can't really afford.
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by hamin_aus »

TL;DR:

Preparation H is coming to SA and Ron and Ryan agree it feels good on the whole

Also, was the A1 a fail :?:
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by Anakha56 »

A1 has not come back to SA and have not heard or seen it mentioned on the sports channels anymore. So yeah fail...

Ron I would actually have to agree with you, as much as I want F1 to come to SA it will bankrupt us to no end... :(
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by hamin_aus »

Anakha56 wrote:A1 has not come back to SA and have not heard or seen it mentioned on the sports channels anymore. So yeah fail...
100 000 people in attendance during it's last tour of Durbs and millions in revenue?

I think their failure to return was more to do with Durbanites seeing the A1 as an inconvenience and poo-poo'ing another year rather than the A1 vowing never to return after record attendances and massive revenue.

But then your knee-jerk assumptions are almost always correct aren't they? So lets just go with whatever you think.
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by Anakha56 »

:lol: I am being serious. We have a team (apparently) but no news of our team ever airs on our sport channels or local news channels, printed or digital. Also this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A1_Grand_Prix
After a successful first season of A1GP, it was announced on 29 September 2006 that Maktoum was to sell his position as Chairman & Director of A1GP.[3] The transfer of his share in the organisation of A1 Grand Prix to RAB Capital was finalized in December 2006. Tony Teixeira took control of the series in 2006, leading it to liquidation by 2009.[4] There are currently plans to revive the series.[5]
So yeah it died and they are looking to revive it...
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by KALSTER »

The cool thing about such a series is, if it picks up popularity, that it could stimulate development of electric cars, just like combustion engine racing has been doing. That would mean that restrictions placed should be done in an effort to stimulate invention.

I hope it gets going properly. Maybe they should add engine sounds though...
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Re: Formula E coming to SA

Post by THE_STIG »

I like the idea of a decent international series coming to sa. But an electric powered f1 style car, I don't find that appealing. Maybe it is just me but isnt the sound of the engine an important factor of any race car. But as I said maybe it is just me being anti EV again

I must agree with Ron though, would love to have F1 here but it would only lead to financial problems
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