By Carlo Platella
Formula E celebrates its ten years of activity, but never stops looking to the future. Monte Carlo was the setting for the presentation of the Gen3 EVO, among whose innovations stand out the higher-performance tires and all-wheel drive, a prelude to what will be the main pillars of the Gen4. The pursuit of performance continues to be central to the championship’s growth ambitions, with the need however to prevent an escalation of costs. We talked about it with Eugenio Franzetti, head of DS Performance.
Gen3 Evo approved
“The championship is already growing a lot”begins Franzetti. “In just ten years it has made enormous progress, because in any case the performances have grown, but a further effort must be made. The Gen3 EVO is a first step, while Gen4 will be a revolution for everyone. The idea of using the front powertrain also in traction, even if only for 50 kW, makes a huge difference.”
“The pilots said that these 50 kW can be felt a lot”continues the director of DS Performance. “The overall power remains the same, 350 kW, but instead of having it all at the rear you have 50 at the front and 300 at the rear. This distributes the power in a completely different way and the driving sensations are very different. Add to that the highest performing Hankook tires, this it will allow us to run 1 or 2 seconds faster with the same track.”
Franzetti’s words are reflected in the comments of Jean-Eric Vergne, who explains how the new tires shift the grip limit when braking with the steering wheel not aligned: “I tried the new tyres. They give you more grip on the front, especially in combination. They’re a step forward, but not a huge one. […] Next year we will have the fastest lap times ever in Formula Ethanks also to the all-wheel drive.” Stoffel Vandoorne, another DS driver, also confirms the performance leap expected next season: “In general the car will be between 2 or 3 seconds faster. The impact with all-wheel drive will be important.”
Watch out for the costs
The reduction in lap times will be even more decisive with the fourth generation cars, whose power will break the 800 horsepower barrier. Eugenio Franzetti, however, reiterates the importance of keeping costs and waste under control: “The focus on performance always keeps an eye on sustainability. Otherwise it would be easy, it would be enough to put on 4 slick tires which wear out and then have to be thrown away. However, Formula E is absolutely not this: it’s strategy, but it’s also sustainability. If we took the slick tires used in other competitions we would lower the lap times by 6-7 seconds, but this is not the aim. It’s another type of motorsport.”
Furthermore, cost containment is one of the ingredients behind the popularity of Formula E among manufacturers, rewarding their investment despite the fact that the television audience is still lower than that of other categories: “Formula E is probably motorsport with the best return on investment. Considering the visibility you have and the associated sponsorship opportunities, the cost ratio is exceptional. This is why there are 7 builders in and there are others interested in joining. Recently there was the announcement of the entry of Lola-Yamaha and I wouldn’t be surprised if others arrived.”
“It all mixes with the possibility of accelerating technological development on the world of electric”adds the director of DS Performance. “Formula E offers invaluable information for those working on road cars, as well as speeding up the process. This gives a great competitive advantage, which goes beyond the return on investment linked to visibility”.
Battery development: yes, but in common
According to DS, keeping costs low must be the priority for Formula E, which is why the Stellantis brand does not believe in opening up the free development of batteries in the future: “Wanting to maintain this wonderful balance between cost, visibility and return on investment, if it opened up to battery development it would cause costs to explode. The choice made today is to take battery research and technology to the extreme through a single supplier. The research is there, but it is done by a single supplier available to everyone. I think it’s the right choice.”
Franzetti then recalls how in the industrial sector manufacturers rarely develop their own batteries in-house: “Very few homes do this. Often they are purchased or instructed to make another company to make them. Powertrain skills, on the other hand, are extremely important.” Continuing the current model therefore appears to be the most suitable strategy for Formula E. The director of DS Performance concludes: “It’s better for manufacturers to focus on the powertrain, therefore engine, inverter and transmission-differential group, rather than delving into the batteries. We would venture down a path that could become counterproductive. I understand that there may be an interest, but the development of batteries already exists, only that we are doing it jointly through the Federation”.
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