MONTREAL — And the winner is…the Planet!

Okay, a little over the top for a car race, but the double-header Hydro-Quebec ePrix weekend in Montreal proved a low-decibel testament to how fun, entertaining and, yes, emission-free, a car race can be.

Here are some takeaways from the weekend, which wrapped up the 2016/17 season that saw 12 races in nine cities, including double-header races in Berlin, New York and in Montreal, the sole Canadian stop on the schedule.

The Panasonic Jaguar pit box - yes, its a tent. Andrew McCredie , Driving

Pit lane and the BMW i8 safety car. Andrew McCredie , Driving

Panasonic Jaguar's Adam Carroll streaks by one of the trackside architectural attractions. Canadian Press

Pop-up racetracks

The low decibels emitted from the race cars has meant the series has found support in very unlikely downtown cores, including Paris, Brooklyn and the east end of Montreal. Locals certainly can’t complain about the sound — which has killed off many a race series in this country, notably the Vancouver Indy — and the footprint required for the street circuits is also low impact. The pits are simple tents manned by each team, and the paddock likewise, albeit much bigger ones. Meaning this series can come into most cities and ‘pop up’ then ‘pop down’ with very little disruption. The lower speed cars also open up the possibility of returning open-wheel racing to such historic venues as Laguna Seca, where the hilly and shorter circuit would be ideal for the electric cars and their need for regeneration.

All hail the president

FIA president Jean Todt strolled through the paddock and hospitality suites on Saturday and Sunday, despite the fact that the organization’s Hungary F1 race took place the same weekend. If that doesn’t underscore how invested the FIA is in Formula E, nothing does. Lip service to that aforementioned ‘emission-free’ aspect aside, which Todt pays every time he takes the mike on the subject of Formula E, its very clear that the FIA sees big things in the race series’ future, particularly in attracting younger people to the sport of racing.

Pump up the Jam

On that very subject – that of getting Millennials and future generations through race-track turnstiles — a live DJ plays electronic music (what else?) throughout practice and qualifying sessions and during the races themselves. And it works. The buzzing sound from the electric racecars is such that you can easily carry on a conversation with the person sitting next to you in the stands, so blasting music around the circuit just makes sense. The trance-like music sort of fits the setting, too, though you’d have to think slipping some AC/DC and Electric Light Orchestra in there would be apropos given the series formula.

Mitch Evans and Kate Upton in the Panasonic Jaguar Racing garage. @Panasonic Jaguar Racing , Driving

X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult and Panasonic Jaguar Racing Reserve Driver Ho-Pin Tung in the Jaguar garage. @Panasonic Jaguar Racing , Driving

Four-time F1 world champion Alain Prost in the Emotion hospitality tent. Andrew McCredie , Driving

Patrick Carpentier worked the race weekend as a TV analyst. Andrew McCredie , Driving

Panasonic Jaguar driver Mitch Evans with British Royal family member Peter Phillips and family. @Panasonic Jaguar Racing , Driving

Celebs

Star power has long been a part of racing, and while not boasting a lengthy A-list of celebs, the Montreal weekend did have some notables. Super model Kate Upton is an ambassador of the series — she’s also a Tesla owner — and she rubbed padded shoulders with X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult, former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Canadian racer Patrick Carpentier and even some British royals. Four-time F1 champ Alain Prost was also in attendance, though his involvement is pure work — his son Nico is one of the Renault drivers.

If it’s not catered, it’s not racing

Corporate money makes all race series go, and Formula E is no exception. The Montreal circuit had a number of large hospitality tents for sponsors to wine and dine guests, along with pit-side tables to get lucky fans very close to the action.

Quality hot shoes

What both Montreal races proved is that the quality of the drivers up and down the grid is high. Not a single bonehead move (hello Indy!), and respectful but hard racing on every lap. Not surprising as many of the hot shoes have Formula 1 experience, while others have surnames of some of racing’s legends. One can only surmise that as the series grows in terms of new manufacturers coming on board and new locations, more excellent open-wheel pilots will be strapping in.

Lots of family friendly activities in the eVillage. Andrew McCredie , Driving

This DeLorean attracted a lot of attention in the eVillage. Andrew McCredie , Driving

Ghostbusters car in the eVillage. Andrew McCredie , Driving

An autonomous package delivery drone at the DHL display in the eVillage. Andrew McCredie , Driving

As with Formula 1, drivers are paraded round the track prior to each race. Unlike F1, in this series it's in an electric truck. Andrew McCredie , Driving

The RoboRace car that had some trouble on its Saturday run but performed flawlessly on Sunday. Andrew McCredie , Driving

Family friendly

No need for ear protection for the little ones at Formula E races, and Montreal families took full advantage as the stands were teeming with kids, from toddlers to teens. The eVillage fun zone catered to that demographic too, with plenty of fun activities for kids to do between on-track sessions. Refreshing to see kids at a Formula race, as the ones you only really see at North American F1 events are ones with silver spoons.

The results

And finally, the series champion was crowned after Sunday’s race. Lucas Di Grassi of the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team took the driver’s championship. He showed his class on Saturday as he held off a charging Jean-Eric Vergne in a wild final lap to win that race, and finished seventh on Sunday, but with a comfortable points lead over a struggling Sebastian Buemi. Vergne won Sunday’s race.