An electric version of Formula 1 will come to Singapore next yr, with the race happening in Marina Bay.
The Straits Times estimates that Formula E – which uses electric fairly than petrol vehicles – will run alongside the Singapore Grand Prix in September next yr.
The venue for the event shall be the Marina Bay street circuit, which has been utilized by F1 since 2008. This is to avoid the closure of separate roads and the associated disruption if the event were to happen elsewhere.
Previously, consideration was given to making a track on Orchard Road.
Observers say combining Formula E with Formula 1 will make each events more attractive to spectators and result in attracting a bigger audience.
Others see it as setting the stage for the inevitable migration away from F1, which is seen in lots of circles as carbon-intensive and environmentally unfriendly.
Officials from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Singapore GP, which organizes the Singapore Grand Prix, are in talks with Formula E to finalize details of the race’s debut in Singapore.
However, nobody desired to comment. Sam Mallinson, senior spokesman for Formula E operations, said “no comment” when approached last week. Both the ministry and STB said that they had no updates to share. Singapore GP couldn’t be reached for comment.
However, sources near the discussions say that the choice has already been made and barring unexpected circumstances, the race shall be held here in September next yr.
If so, Singapore joins the growing list of cities hosting the event. These include Hong Kong, Marrakech, Monaco, Mexico, Rome, Paris and New York. Others equivalent to Adelaide, Vienna and St Petersburg are said to be competing for inclusion.
More carmakers are also participating within the event, with Porsche announcing its participation last month and Mercedes-Benz confirming its participation in March.
Others on the network include Audi, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan. Mahindra Racing from India and NextEV Nio from China are also competing for the championship.
The appeal comes from each manufacturer’s plans to expand its range of electrical models, in addition to a desire to succeed in a younger generation that is claimed to be more environmentally conscious. Formula E is claimed to have a younger audience than F1. A race that is barely five years old – F1 is sort of 70 years old – has a component of audience participation. It’s called Fanboost and it allows fans to vote – on social media, after all – to present their favorite drivers an additional boost of power through the race.
Battery-powered races are already more dynamic than before. The second generation cars speed up to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and have a maximum speed of 280 km/h. While it was previously 3 seconds and 225 km/h, it remains to be removed from what an F1 automotive can achieve (under 2 seconds to 100 km/h and a top speed of over 320 km/h).
However, Formula E cars cannot run so long as F1 drivers as a result of the range of their batteries. Each race will last not than 50 minutes or 80 to 100 km – one-third the length of an F1 race. To take this under consideration, the Marina Bay circuit will either need to be modified or the electrical cars will complete fewer laps.
Tan Teng Lip, who represents Singapore’s motorsport fraternity on the F1 race organizing committee, said: “I feel it’s more prone to be a shortened track because fewer laps may not be very exciting.”
Tan, a motorsports veteran, said it may not be feasible to have Formula E elsewhere. “It doesn’t make economic sense to go through all the preparations for a two-hour event,” he said.
“It’s good to introduce a different category of racing. Hopefully it will attract more people.”
Hosting Formula E is an element of Singapore’s ambition to persuade electric vehicle manufacturers to establish shop here. UK-based Dyson is the primary to accomplish that.
Correction note: The Ministry of Trade and Industry said the report was inaccurate and that MTI and the Singapore Tourism Board “haven’t any current plans to host Formula E on the Marina Bay Street track.” A Singapore GP spokesman also said that there are “currently no plans to incorporate Formula E in activities on the Marina Bay Street Circuit.” She said that at a speed of 5.063 km per lap, the track was too long. “We are always looking for ways to provide the best possible experience for viewers, but Formula E is not part of those discussions,” she added. We apologize for the error.
Source: SGSME.SG
