FIA’s Formula E 2015-2016 Glycerine Racing Season Begins In Earnest

Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest (??; niaocháo), is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and will be used again in the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It serves as a backdrop to the first race of the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E racing season - Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

FIA's Formula E 2015-2016 Glycerine Racing Season Begins In Earnest

The sanctioning body that sponsors Formula 1 has put together the elements of an electronic-powered, self-contained, open-wheel, 11 venue world-wide high-speed automobile racing series known as Formula E.

Last year (2014-2015 season) was a first year of the multi-year agenda to make viable motorsports racing using 100% electric power generated solely at the event site itself. Glycerine, a substance that looks and tastes like a clear Karo syrup, is a carbon-neutral non-toxic replacement for diesel used to power special diesel electric-power generators which produce enough clean-energy to meet the needs of the race cars and the paddocks that support them. The aim is to show what is possible, improve technologies through competition, and allow all involved to have fun in places rarely exposed to high-speed motorsports, city streets-course racing.

FIA Formula E season event venues in the following cities. Click link HERE to access the additional information called for in info-graphic. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

The FIA Formula E season will race in venues around the world in the following cities:

1    Beijing ePrix     China    Beijing Olympic Green Circuit    24 October 2015

2    Putrajaya ePrix     Malaysia    Putrajaya Street Circuit    7 November 2015

3    Punta del Este ePrix     Uruguay    Punta del Este Street Circuit    19 December 2015

4    Buenos Aires ePrix     Argentina    Puerto Madero Street Circuit    6 February 2016

5    Mexico City ePrix    Mexico    Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez    12 March 2016

6    Long Beach ePrix     United States    Long Beach Street Circuit    2 April 2016

7    Paris ePrix     France    TBD    23 April 2016

8    Berlin ePrix     Germany    Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit    21 May 2016

9    Moscow ePrix     Russia    Moscow Street Circuit    4 June 2016

10    London ePrix Race 1     United Kingdom    TBC    2 July 2016

11    London ePrix Race 2    3 July 2016

Race teams are staffed with two drivers that are provided with two cars to use during the race. Since the electric engines develop a very strong power response, in order to include strategy and allow for enough driving time during the race to be entertaining, a pitstop is included where drivers change cars after the first car's on-board power has been depleted, then continue racing to the end.

The driver who is able to manage the depletion of his car's power reserve, perform a flawless pitstop car change, have the best set-up on technology and balance, stays out of contact trouble with other drivers and the track, usually wins.

Drivers and teams come from several backgrounds and countries ... it is notable that even though this series was developed and managed from Europe, two American race teams are there to compete in earnest - Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team and Jay Penske's Dragon Racing.

The Bird's Nest serves as a backdrop for the driving class competing in the 2015-2016 FIA Formula E racing season. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Teams and drivers are as follows - Country - Team - Drivers:

France - Renault e.Dams
Sébastien BUEMI | Nicolas PROST

Germany - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport
Lucas DI GRASSI | Daniel ABT

India - Mahindra Racing Formula E Team
Nick HEIDFELD | Bruno SENNA

United States/England - Dragon Racing
Loïc DUVAL | Jérôme D'AMBROSIO

China - NEXTEV TCR Formula E Team
Nelson PIQUET JR | Oliver TURVEY

England - DS Virgin Racing Formula E Team
Sam BIRD | Jean-Eric VERGNE

Japan - Team Aguri
Nathanaël BERTHON | Antonio Felix DA COSTA

Monaco - Venturi Formula E Team
Stéphane SARRAZIN | Jacques VILLENEUVE

United States - Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team
Robin FRIJNS | Simona DE SILVESTRO

Switzerland - Trulli Formula E Team
Vitantonio Liuzzi | Salvador Duran

October 24, 2015, Beijing, China hosted the first race of this 11 venue second season, the SWUSP Beijing ePrix.

Beijing ePrix race winner's podium - (L to R) P2 - Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport | P1 - Sébastien BUEMI - Renault e.Dams | P3 - Nick HEIDFELD - Mahindra Racing Formula E Team. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

This excerpted and edited from ITV -

Buemi wins first ePrix of season two in Beijing
ITV - 10:05 - 24 Oct 2015

Sebastien Buemi started the second season of the FIA Formula E Championship in perfect fashion becoming the first driver to ever score the maximum possible points haul of 30 points.

After taking the Julius Baer Pole Position in the the new Super Pole shoot-out, the Swiss ace then went on to dominate the SWUSP Beijing ePrix setting the Visa Fastest Lap in the process to complete a unique hat-trick.

"It was a good race. It's a bit of a weird feeling because I felt I was a little bit on my own, but I would not be against that. It's good to win with a bit of a margin.

"I'm happy, the team has done a great job and Renault has done a good power train so I'm just looking forward to the next races right now. I think we even managed to have the fastest lap, which was very difficult last year."
 

WUSP Beijing ePrix race start - cars spread out and bunch up as they enter the challenges of making it into Turn 1. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Buemi admitted he didn't make the best of starts, but he fended off the fast-starting Mahindra of Nick Heidfeld into the first corner to hold the lead. From there on after he dominated the race.

His ability to stretch his lead was stymied twice by the intervention of the Full Course Yellow. This caution system was making its Formula E debut and was given a thumbs up by the drivers.

Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport leads a string of cars back out onto the track at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Di Grassi said: "It's certainly good from a sporting side as it's safe and allows the track to be cleared fast and we also do it in others categories that myself and other drivers in this series race in."

Buemi didn't quite lead every lap, however. He was the first driver to pit for his mid-race car swap, which allowed Dragon Racing's Loic Duval to spend a lap at the head of the field before he too came in to change into his second car.

Dragon Racing did well as a team in their results at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Loïc DUVAL and Jérôme D'AMBROSIO - Dragon Racing finished P4 and p5 respectively placing the team P2 in overall points after Round 1. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

The pitstop process proved to be Hedifeld's undoing, and as the team struggled to get his belts fastened he lost places to di Grassi and to Renault e.dams Nico Prost. A fine opportunistic move took him back ahead of Prost, and the pair, who famously duelled for victory in season one only to end with a spectacular accident, once again went wheel-to-wheel around the Beijing Olympic Park circuit.

Prost eventually came out on top, but there would be no podium celebration again for the Frenchman. For reasons the team are yet to ascertain, the right-rear wheel guard fell off his car, breaking the rear wing support in the process. Although Prost was able to continue at race speed, the car was considered to be mechanically dangerous and he was shown the black and orange flag by the race officials. This forced him into the pits where he retired.

Beijing ePrix race winner, Sébastien BUEMI - Renault e.Dams, rounding the last turns with Formula E "Drive The Future" banners behind him, as he claims Round 1 victory. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

This promoted Heidfeld back into third place to score the first ever podium finish for the Mahindra team.
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During the closing laps there was a fantastic duel between Heidfeld and the Dragon Racing team-mates Duval and Jerome D'Ambrosio. There was less than two seconds covering them as they crossed the line.
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The new era of Formula E is here. The racing was as spectacular as ever and with 76,000 people attending the Olympic Park during the event there was a fantastic atmosphere. But Buemi's rivals will be hoping that his incredible start to the season can't stand the heat of Putrajaya, when Formula E returns on November 7.
[Reference Here]

P2 Podium holder Lucas DI GRASSI - ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport shares champagne with the crowd at the SWUSP Beijing ePrix. Image Credit: FIA Formula E

Putrajaya, a city nearby Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, hosts the second round of this second season of the fully-electric FIA Formula E Championship - November 7, 2015.

The city of Putrajaya was created in 1993 in order to become the federal administrative capital of Malaysia and is located roughly 30 kilometres south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. The name of the city literally means 'princes' (putra) 'success' (jaya). It is an open and green city where many iconic buildings have raised recently, like the pink coloured Putra Mosque, the Seri Perdana (enormous official residence of the Prime Minister) and the Millennium Monument, but also beautiful gardens like the Taman Putra Perdana and the Putrajaya Boulevard are worth visiting.
(ht: electricautosport.com)

FanBoost:

Fans can give their favorite driver an extra speed boost by voting for them both prior to and during the opening six minutes of the race. Voting opens 12 days prior to the race with the three winning drivers receiving an additional 100kJ of energy in their second car only to be used in a power window of 180kW and 200kW. When deploying FanBoost it can only be used once, a series of short bursts will not be possible.

DS Virgin Racing's Jean-Eric Vergne leads the early running in the FanBoost vote for the Putrajaya ePrix. The Frenchman was a five-time FanBoost winner in season one and is on course for a sixth win ahead of the November 7th race.

Nick Heidfeld, fresh from securing Mahindra's first podium position in Beijing, lies second, while his team-mate Bruno Senna is currently third. The Brazilian is a four-time FanBoost winner, but hasn't received the fan vote since Miami in March during the 2014-2015 season.

There are four ways you can vote for your FanBoost favorite:

1. via the official Formula E website - http://www.fiaformulae.com/fanboost
2. via the official app, which is free to download for iOS and Android
3. via Twitter, where you have to Tweet #FanBoost #DriverName
4. via Instagram, where you have to post a picture or video and #FanBoost #DriverName

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: FIA, Formula E, Glycerine, FanBoost, SWUSP Beijing ePrix, China, ePrix, Putrajaya ePrix, Malaysia, Sébastien BUEMI, Renault e.Dams, Lucas DI GRASSI, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Nick HEIDFELD, Mahindra Racing Formula E Team, Dragon Racing, Amlin/Andretti Formula E Race Team, United States, The EDJE,