FÓRMULA-1

Jean Todt says electric F1 is absurd
While trams seem to be the way of the future with regard to motor vehicles, F1 should not follow this path, at least in the medium or long term. Jean Todt was adamant that this idea was absurd.The president of the FIA ​​commented on the possibility of F1 becoming 100% electric, as Ross Brawn had said, but the Frenchman was quick to dispel this idea:"It would be absurd to say that in the near future Formula 1 will be electric. It's not going to happen, you can not do that, "said Todt. "We are talking about two completely different categories. Formula E does not have Formula 1 performance. One of the reasons why Formula E is racing in cities at the moment is because it would not create any interest in a circuit like Monza, for example. There are two different categories. It is quite misleading to compare Formula E and Formula 1. Formula 1 is a very well-established category, and I keep saying that for me, Formula E is the baby of the FIA. There is still much to learn."There is also the contractual part of Formula E with the FIA ​​that according to Alejandro Agag, the boss of the electric Formula has an exclusive contract for 25 years which may make any attempt to create an electric F1 impossible.Todt was enthusiastic about the evolution of Formula E that will start a new era soon with the use of only one car per driver.But the differences in performances are too obvious. An F1 is more powerful (near 1000cv versus 270cv in FE qualifying mode) lighter (728kg vs. 800kg of trams) and faster (378km / h of top speed, versus 225km / h). At the performance level it would make more sense to equate a Formula E with a Formula 3 (550kg, 200cv) although it may be a wrong comparison and no parallel is desired between FE and other categories. What we want to show is that F1 still has on its side the spectacular speed, the numbers and above all the passion of the fans. And a move to a 100% version would be too radical a cut with the competition's DNA.
Formula E has a great potential on its side and continues to grow at a considerable pace. The technological evolution is clear, the interest of the brands undeniable and the strength of the ever-increasing championship. The format is well thought out and interesting and the fact that the tests happen in the city centers is a factor that brings a lot of people. It would be very difficult to convince someone to go to a race course to see FE, much more with this type of machinery, but in the city, people get involved in the spirit of the race even if they do not want or have no interest, because it happens at the door and will inevitably create a wave of curiosity. In addition, a city makes any race more spectacular.
Comparing one and the other does not seem to be very relevant, since each occupies a well defined space and has a clear function. We will still have to wait a few years until interest overlap becomes a problem.



Fábio Mendes, de Portugal