BMW Gears Up for the 2018/2019 Formula E Season With the Debut of the iFE.18

Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that this is the future of racing, and that this will surely help development of road-going cars. I can't wait until we see track records being broken by E-cars, and that they'll provide the same (ish) entertainment as F1 does. I understand that the wheels are not the most aerodynamic part on a car, so they need to be covered as much as possible, but this Gen 2 package is not an Formula racer.
 
This is stunning. A shame that there's no twin kidney grilles though, even in decal form like BMW Williams had in F1 back in the day. Besides that I'm liking the design and futuristic livery! :D
 
I mean, what's the next evolution?
bmw-v12-lmr.jpg
 
I would love to start following Formula E but I can’t until they start running on real race tracks, street circuits are not entertaining to watch.
 
Wonder if they'd do a night race. Looks like headlights could be fixed on the front fender there.
 
Wonder if they'd do a night race. Looks like headlights could be fixed on the front fender there.
They don't need headlights for driving when it's dark, if you watched Singapore F1 yesterday, you would see they drove at night without headlights, the track was lit up more than good enough for the F1 drivers :).

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(Singapore Grand Prix Marina Bay 2018)

This is the 2014 GP - cars look very different now

:embarrassed: I was sure I found a 2018 picture :lol:, but at least the light is the same as the 2018 race :).
 
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I really like the ways these look! Except for that stupid halo thing, just make it a covered cockpit already. Most of the car looks like a LMS car anyway.

Aside from the looks I still can't get into watching the E-cars race. The future seems boring for watchers. So I guess that means we all need to be drivers. :) I guess I am old school but I really like engine sounds. That is one of the big reasons I like cars is the difference in audio from cars. Just sucks that petroleum pollutes the earth. :-/
 
I would love to start following Formula E but I can’t until they start running on real race tracks, street circuits are not entertaining to watch.

I disgree, Street circuits are really fun to watch! It also makes the races more accesable to locals. My problem with Formula E though is the fact there is no engine sound. I tried to watch some races, but it is almost like watching these races with the tv on mute, it becomes very boring after a while.
 
I tried to watch some races, but it is almost like watching these races with the tv on mute, it becomes very boring after a while.

Indeed. I know it sounds petty or silly but hearing the cars engine is a great part of the experience live. FE makes me feel like I am watching remote control cars which just makes me feel unfulfilled.

But be that said, I know how spectating and driving are two separate things. I run a miata at the track. In my class here locally there are maybe 8 of us all miatas. To us while on the track the racing is intense and thrilling. But sometimes it looks kinda boring from the outside lol. Unless we are just putting on a great show. I am sure formula E is fun to do, just bleh to watch.
 
Indeed. I know it sounds petty or silly but hearing the cars engine is a great part of the experience live. FE makes me feel like I am watching remote control cars which just makes me feel unfulfilled.

But be that said, I know how spectating and driving are two separate things. I run a miata at the track. In my class here locally there are maybe 8 of us all miatas. To us while on the track the racing is intense and thrilling. But sometimes it looks kinda boring from the outside lol. Unless we are just putting on a great show. I am sure formula E is fun to do, just bleh to watch.

No doubt it is fun for the driver. But seeing it is so underwhelming to watch. I would almost suggest amplifying the sounds the cars do make (not talking about fake sounds) to make it more exciting for the viewers and public.



I have never been to one, but I imagine you can actually hear yourself talking and can talk to each other in a normal tone.
 
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They don't need headlights for driving when it's dark, if you watched Singapore F1 yesterday, you would see they drove at night without headlights, the track was lit up more than good enough for the F1 drivers :).

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(Singapore Grand Prix Marina Bay 2018)
The quote below, is what I was thinking about.
I would love to start following Formula E but I can’t until they start running on real race tracks, street circuits are not entertaining to watch.
 
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(Singapore Grand Prix Marina Bay 2018)

This is the 2014 GP - cars look very different now, but the essence of your post is absolutely correct. Why bother with headlights if you can make the entire complex light as day. Of course, Formula E might be against that because of the whole "lets be green" mentality, but that's just assumption.
 
I would love to start following Formula E but I can’t until they start running on real race tracks, street circuits are not entertaining to watch.

Problem is two fold, city streets give them more and easier access to a new audience and if they raced on proper tracks you'd be able to compare them directly to F3/2 cars
 
Problem is two fold, city streets give them more and easier access to a new audience and if they raced on proper tracks you'd be able to compare them directly to F3/2 cars

Afaik, with the Gen2 cars, they'll be racing on the full Monaco GP circuit unlike the previous seasons. It'll only be a matter of time before outings to actual full tracks happen.

Overall, FormulaE seems a little gimmicky to me at the moment. That said, it has been great fun keeping up with the results , recaps and developments in the past few years. They still have a bit of work to do with their format before they become a "must watch every race" series, but the premise is there. Unlike a lot of new lower catergories that get placed into an already existing pile of series, the interest was immediately there because of the tech.

Finally, I'd like to add that in most Formula categories, manufacturers are seen as a two-fold edge. This is different in F:E because the manufacturers are literally beating each others heads in to get grid slots instead of the usual amount of two or three that dictate a whole series.
 
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