Formula E is an emerging force in motorsport and can be seen as a genuine rival to F1

Formula E may never win over every single critic, but the all-electric championship is certainly going the right way to convert the doubters with its blend of speed and sustainability. Season Five is well underway and the latest developments to Alejandro Agag’s brainchild have thrown the spotlight onto a series that is starting to offer a genuine alternative to Formula 1. Initially derided as an eco-friendly but ultimately sanitised form of racing, Formula E has faced opposition from a significant portion of the motoring world who long for the squeal of tyres and smell of petrol. However, the second generation of the championship has specifically targeted its previous failings while also pushing the boundaries of technology, broadcasting and fan interaction.

Competitiveness Yes, it’s not as fast as F1 and yes, it’s not as loud as F1. Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s get down to the important stuff. The new Gen2 car has the ability to reach impressive speeds of up to 174mph while the battery power units create a whirring crescendo that, while not as evocative as screaming cylinders, still set the pulse racing. Standardised car components ensure driver skill is much more evident than in other, development-based series and creates a more equal playing field – evident in a different champion from each season so far.

There has been a different champion in every season so far in the ultra-competitive series

The Gen2 car has a longer lasting battery and can reach speeds of up to 174mph

Formula E has previously been labelled as a retirement home for F1 drivers but this is no longer the case with a stellar line-up now containing a host of young guns including Stoffel Vandoorne and Pascal Wehrlein. The simple truth is that a diminishing entry list means there are not enough seats for the world’s top drivers in F1 and Formula E offers a viable career opportunity as opposed to a dead-end. The on-track action is frenetic with standardised aerodynamic packages allowing the cars to follow nose-to-tail and carry out unassisted passes while the new ‘attack-mode’ has added a unique variable.

Standardised components mean the cars enjoy very similar performance and can race in close proximity

Meanwhile, a far more relaxed attitude to penalties – demonstrated by Jean-Eric Vergne avoiding punishment for a late lunge on Sam Bird last time out in Morocco – encourages overtaking and prevents farcical grid drops after qualifying. The current lack of refuelling and tyre changes does hamper the ability of strategists to make a real difference from the garage, although the introduction of a longer-lasting battery means the somewhat farcical mid-race car-swap has been scrapped. The thrilling Marrakesh ePrix was a perfect example of how the championship has an ability to deliver lights-to-flag action that more than holds its own in comparison to F1, where there have been just three different title-winners since the start of the 2010 season.

Jerome D'Ambrosio kept his cool to win a chaotic Marrakesh ePrix

Accessibility A new broadcast deal with Sky Sports means live F1 is all-but disappearing from free-to-air TV in 2019, leaving enthusiasts to either fork out for a subscription or avoid social media until the highlights are shown. Formula E has gone in completely the opposite direction, striking a deal with the BBC to show races live on the red button and on iPlayer while also broadcasting the action on their YouTube channel. The series has gone a step further by creating their own YouTube show aimed at younger fans – Formula E Voltage – co-hosted by social media influencers and offering an alternative option to the standard coverage.

All of the action from Season Five is free to watch on BBC iPlayer and YouTube

The race format has also been altered this year, switching from a certain number of laps to a 45-minute (+ one lap) timed event while practice, qualifying and the race all take place on a single day. Compared to a typical race time of an hour and a half for F1, this compact set-up is far more likely to catch and then hold the attention of casual viewers as well as appeal to families.

The on-track action all takes place over one day while the races last just over 45 minutes

Controversy Everyone loves a bit of needle in sport and Formula E has plenty of that among the current crop of drivers. Brazilians Nelson Piquet Jnr and Lucas Di Grassi actively despise each other and never pass up an opportunity to land a cheap shot in interviews while 2015/16 champion Sebastian Buemi is not shy about ruffling feathers if he feels he’s been wronged. Rookie Oliver Rowland had no qualms about calling out veteran Felipe Massa for his driving standards in practice ahead of the Marrakesh ePrix while Alexander Sims endured the nightmare of tangling with his team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa when set for a one-two finish in the race – although the BMW Andretti boys have already made up and moved on.

Lucas Di Grassi (L) and Nelson Piquet Jnr (C) are not on good terms

Meanwhile, the arrival of Max Verstappen and his no-holds-barred approach has been a breath of fresh air for F1 but the championship is still severely lacking the characters of yesteryear. Kevin Magnussen is another who could start a fight in an empty room, but with so much money involved in sponsorship and endorsements drivers are often unwilling to rock the boat in fear of angering their team and subsequently harming their career. It’s all just a bit too nice – we’d rather have Piquet calling Massa a “f****** ridiculous amateur’ any day of the week.

Atmosphere Formula E has been keen to convey a sense of transparency and friendliness since the series’ inception back in 2014, allowing supporters both at home and at the track to feel that much closer to the action. Fan boost lets viewers actively influence the outcome of a race while dedicated Fan Zones have been growing in scale and popularity with activities such as electric karting and simulator racing as well as live entertainment and child-friendly areas.

Fan Zones provide entertainment throughout the weekend

The championship focuses on getting supporters more involved in the action

The pitlane and paddock possess an open feel – in contrast to F1’s high-pressured, corporate image – while those lucky enough to find their way onto the grid can get within a hair’s breadth of the cars with no barriers or red tape in sight. Teams actively welcome media into their garages and engage with supporters as the whole field demonstrates a commitment to raising the profile of the sport – a lesson Ferrari would do well to heed.

Celebrities such as Elizabeth Hurley and Justin Theroux are keen to support the sustainable series

Sustainability The founding concept of Formula E is to provide world class racing while helping to tackle environmental issues through the development of new technology. The championship is at the forefront of pioneering energy solutions designed to combat air pollution and climate change, subsequently triggering a shift in the motoring industry as a whole. In contrast with F1, manufacturers are flocking to the series with BMW and Nissan joining this season while Mercedes affiliate HWA also entered as a precursor to the German giants signing up in 2019/20.

BMW are one of the major manufacturers to join the championship this season

Audi and Jaguar are other big names among the entrants of a burgeoning championship that is designed to advance road car engineering through competition. Costs are managed through measures such as restricting team personal numbers, unlike the development race and spiralling investment that has seen a huge performance gap open up between the top F1 teams and the rest of the field. Meanwhile, the choice of city centre circuits and a lack of parking facilities encourage fans to use public transport and lower their carbon footprint while initiatives such as the removal of plastic bottles from events have been introduced.

City centre locations encourage the use of public transport to attend to the events