The FIA Formula E Championship is the world’s first all-electric single-seater racing series. But what do those words actually mean, how does the technology work, and who are the key players behind the scenes?
Read on to find out more…
B
Battersea Park
The venue for the championship decider in Seasons 1 and 2, Battersea Park has the distinction of being the track that has hosted the most Formula E races to date. This is by dint of both London ePrix being double header events.
Sebastien Buemi won the inaugural race to be held in the Victorian Park, becoming the first driver to win an international race in the British capital since Crystal Palace closed in the 1970s. In the second race Sam Bird created history by winning his home Formula E race – something that has yet to be repeated. In Season 2, it was Nico Prost who was victorious, winning both races.
Battery
There are two batteries in the Formula E car. One is a traditional 12v battery similar to the one you will find in a normal, everyday petrol-engined car, the other is the traction battery. This was designed and built by Williams Advanced Engineering and it replaces what would be known as the engine in a conventional racing car.
The traction battery has 28kWh of energy, and operates at a maximum power of 200kw in qualifying and 170kw in race trim. Each battery is designed to last for two seasons.
With a total weight in excess of 200kg, the battery and its protective casing form part of the Formula E car’s crash structure, which is why swapping the batteries during the pitstop is not feasible.
Click here to learn more
Beijing
The Chinese capital was the venue for the first ever Formula E race, which took place on September 13, 2014. It also hosted the opening race of Season 2.
Berlin
The German capital is the only city to have held three Formula E races on three different tracks. The Season 1 race took place at Tempelhof Airport, while in Season 2 the race moved to Karl-Marx-Allee near Alexanderplatz. For Season 3 it returned to Tempelhof, but on an all-new version of the circuit.
Berthon, Nathanael
Frenchman Nathanael Berthon drove in the opening three races of Season 2 for Team Aguri. An eighth place finish on his debut in Beijing earned him four points, although he would not finish in the top 10 again.
Bird, Sam
Briton Sam Bird was the winner of the second Formula E race, which was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia. He added another win at the Season 1 finale in London, becoming the in the process the only driver so far to win his home ePrix.
He scored his first pole position in Buenos Aires Season 2, which he converted into his third win for the DS Virgin Racing team.
Birds Nest Stadium
The spectacular Birds Nest Stadium was constructed for the 2008 summer Olympic games in Beijing and made a dramatic backdrop for the two Beijing ePrix.
At 3.453km, the original track layout was the longest used by Formula E so far, although a revised design shortened the overall length to 3.439 for the second installment.
Lucas di Grassi made history by winning the first race held at the track, while in Season 2 Sebastien Buemi became the first – and so far only – driver to secure the grandslam of Julius Baer Pole Position, race win, and Visa Fastest Lap to cap a perfect weekend.
BMS
The Battery Management System consists of a huge amount of sensors that are constantly monitoring the performance of the traction battery to ensure that it is within the optimum working parameters. The BMS helps to define the amount of regenerated energy that can be fed back into the battery, so optimising its performance is crucial for implementing a fast and efficient race strategy.
BMW i
BMW i is the Official Vehicle Partner of Formula E. As a result of this relationship, all of the championship's official cars are supplied by the German luxury performance car specialist. These include the Qualcomm Safety Car, which is a modified version of the hybrid BMW i8 and the medical and course cars, which are all-electric BMW i3s. In addition, the seldom-used (thankfully) rescue car, is a hybrid BMW X5 xDrive40e.
Brabham, Matthew
The grandson of the legendary three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham, Matthew made two Formula E appearances in Season 1 for the Andretti team. His debut came in Putrajaya, while next time out in Punta del Este, he was on course for a strong top 10 finish when he crashed out late in the race.
Branson, Sir Richard
The charismatic founder of the Virgin Group has been at a number of Formula E races supporting his eponymous team. He’s a commitment ecologist and during his visits he’s made numerous statements in support of Formula E’s role in showcasing how sustainability technology can play an integral role in providing the solutions for tomorrow’s challenges.
Buenos Aires
The Argentine capital has played host to a Formula E event in every season so far, and the track at Puerto Madero has always delivered exciting races. In Season 1, it was the scene of Team Aguri and Antonio Felix da Costa’s only win. In Season 2 Sam Bird drove a fantastic race to keep Sebastien Buemi behind after the latter had charged from the back of the grid. While in Season 3, Buemi triumphed after a tense three-way battle with Jean-Eric Vergne and Lucas di Grassi.
Buemi, Sebastien
Sebastien Buemi is the most successful driver in Formula E history. The Season 2 champion has more wins, poles and points than any other driver on the grid.
His relentless success has helped his Renault e.dams squad to win the teams’ championship in Season 1 and 2 and both are on course to retain their titles in Season 3.