Formula 1 is under attack. Although it’s still the most popular racing series on four wheels, the pinnacle of motorsport is now facing competition from exciting new racing series such as WEC and Formula E. Thanks to much cheaper ticket prices, and good use of social media, Formula E is becoming more popular every year, and it’s not just fans that it’s gaining from F1 either.

Although Formula E is only two-and-a-bit years old, the all-electric racing series is already attracting the attention of big manufacturers such as Audi, Porsche, Mercedes and today Ferrari – and this year Jaguar entered the fold. So what’s making Formula E such an attractive proposition for carmakers right now? Alphr spoke to James Barclay, Team director of Jaguar Panasonic Racing, just days after the first race in Hong Kong to find out.

The all-electric racing series

Motor racing used to be about making cars as fast as possible, with little regard for safety or production cars, but in 2016 things are very different. Motorsport is much safer than it used to be, and many of the rules you’ll find in motorsport are closely aligned to the aims of the automotive world. That’s why in 2016, F1 cars are powered by both petrol and electricity, and it’s also why the WEC series pits hybrid petrol-turbo engines against hybrid diesels and pretty much every combination known to man.

But we already know that, although a great stepping stone, hybrid technology doesn’t represent the future of transport. It’s electric cars that will dominate our roads in years to come, and the all-electric nature of Formula E means it’s the most road-relevant motorsport series around.

“Formula E made perfect sense because the technology the series is centred around offers direct relevance to Jaguar Land Rover’s future road car plans,” says Barclay. “That is an essential reason for the Formula E programme. We believe we will see more change in the automotive industry in the next five years than we have seen in the last 30 years. It’s the perfect testbed for this innovative technology.”

Simply put, motorsport’s fast-paced, high-development nature means it’s the best place to learn about technologies, and that’s why Formula E is the relevant sport for the automotive industry right now. Audi, Porsche and Mercedes have all been connected to Formula E in the past few months, and they’ve promised to release all-electric production cars in the next five years. And in the same way. Jaguar has already been seen testing a brand-new, all-electric SUV.

Formula E doesn’t yet allow teams to develop its own battery – that should happen in the next few years – but they’re allowed to develop their own motors, a crucial part of the electric powertrain.

It’s not just about technology development, however: it’s about marketing too. EVs are still seen as boring and unreliable by some potential buyers, and Formula E presents a great way of making electric cars look both robust, reliable and exciting. At the same time, having an environmentally friendly message is also very important in 2016, and Formula E is able to do that too.

The importance of engagement

But there’s another interesting thing Formula E does differently: social media. I’ve been to various Formula E events – including one or two in its first year – and it’s always been very focused in the way it identifies and targets its fans. Although Formula E wants to attract people to race tracks and TV channels, it’s also aware that social media reach and engagement is a key tool to engage fans. That’s why, rightly or wrongly, Formula E uses FanBoost, a Twitter-based vote that gives the two most popular drivers a boost of extra power during the race.

It might not be the most pure form of competition, but it shows that Formula E is well aware of second-screening and other forms of media. Drivers and sponsors ask for votes to get fans involved, giving them a level of fan engagement you rarely see in F1 – unless you include drivers such as Hamilton and Ricciardo of course. Any team involved in Formula E would benefit from that social strategy, and soon gain traction with a whole new group of fans that don’t usually see its TV spots, one-page magazine ads or other forms of advertising.

For those reasons, and probably some others, Jaguar announced it was coming to Formula E this time last year. “We’ve had sort of ten months, nine-and-a-bit months in terms of preparation for Hong Kong (the first race of the season),” says Barclay. “In that time, we designed [and] built our powertrain – we’re also entering as a manufacturer and obviously built our whole team structure.”

Racing ahead

So, what was the result, and how has Jaguar done so far? After the first race of the Formula E season, Jaguar is ninth out of ten teams – which expect for newcomers – and according to Barclay there were lots of positives to be had. “[It was] a good opportunity for us to take away the experience of a first race weekend. In terms of the format, and more importantly the relevance of a street circuit, the championship races on,” Barclay explains. “Our ability to run quickly and have good energy was really positive. So yeah, some positives, but also some real learnings which allow us to continue to develop our programme.”

Interested? The Marrakesh ePrix will take place this weekend.