True to its essence of being constantly evolving on technological and sporting matters, Formula E is preparing important changes for the upcoming races of the season 8 calendar.
A few days ago, the electric single-seater series revealed details of the South Africa E-Prix, and now announced modifications to the London circuit, in order to protect the safety of the drivers and improve the show.
The ExCeL Arena of the English capital will undergo some changes for this campaign, but the significant alterations will be made for season 9, when the third generation (Gen3) is scheduled to be included.
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The unique partially covered layout was criticized by many in 2021 for its narrow confines and a double hairpin turn, known to track designers as the ‘e’ section of the circuit on the second sector of the 1.39-mile track.
This was the scene of multiple incidents throughout the races with several penalties handed out for contact. Now, subject to homologation approval from the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the track will receive additional space, although this has not yet been confirmed by Formula E.
What will the Changes be?
Expansion work at the eastern area of the ExCeL venue is expected to accommodate a lengthening and widening of some aspects of the circuit.
According to a report from The Race, an additional 21,000 square feet of exhibition and conference space is planned in the scheme that was approved last October by Newham City Council’s strategic development committee.
These adjustments are expected to offer much more development potential just before the cars re-enter the corridor for the final turns of the lap.
What do drivers think?
Mahindra Racing’s Alexander Sims believes that removing the two steep corners would be a good start. “If you went down the inside, you couldn’t turn an inch more. If the other car stayed on the outside, you were in the locking bumps with no other option than driving them into the wall because you couldn’t turn any tighter.”
Sims points out that he would ideally like to avoid those corners in order to have a bit more control and not push an opponent into the side and cause accidents.
Stofel Vandoorne, Mercedes driver, also referred to the British track and the energy use required by the cars to perform on the day. “The teams did calculations last year that if they wanted to run on a season average, for a lift-to-cost ratio, then we would have had to use like 38 kilowatts or something.”
Along those same lines, the champion team’s racer added, “We still had too much power basically for it to be a proper power run and that meant that all the straights were almost full throttle. If you wanted to make a move, you basically had to have contact to make it.”
The London E-Prix, one of the events that have now become a Formula E tradition, will be held on the weekend of July 30-31.
Written by I Jhonattan González
