In the first of many articles this week building up to the inaugural Formula E season opener in Beijing on September 13th, we take a look at the race calendar. Every race ‘weekend’ is condensed into one day with practice, qualifying and the race all taking place on the Saturday. This is so the series can still boast its unique all street race calendar but still not disturb everyday life in these major cities too much. Each race will last approximately 45 minutes.
Formula E 2014 Calendar:
First up is the Beijing ePrix situated in the heart of China. The 3.44km custom made track itself is set around the iconic Birds Nest Olympic Stadium home to the 2008 Olympic games. This is the home race for two of the teams taking part in this years season, Amlin Aguri and Team China Racing as well as for their driver, Ho Pin Tung, who is half Chinese.
Round two sees us fly to to West Coast of Malaysia to Putrajaya. With a 10 week gap between the opening two rounds all the drivers and teams will be keen to get a chance to drive around this 2.5km track designed by British architect Simon Gibbons who boasts nine years’ experience as a circuit planner for Formula One and more recently played a significant role in the rowing and canoeing venue for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Punta del Este Formula E race takes place on December 13 and forms the third of 10 races for the inaugural 2014/2015 season. At 2.8km in length and featuring 20 turns, the street circuit is located along Punta del Este’s picturesque harbour, just south of Maldonado (no not that Maldonado) and is based on the track previously used for the TC2000 touring car events. It is the first of two races in South America alongside the fourth round in Buenos Aires on January 10th.
Indeed the second South American track, at 2.44 km features 12 turns and is located in the popular and modern Puerto Madero district to the east of the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires.
The fifth round is still to be announced.
After the mystery round, Formula E heads to an American double header beginning in Miami on the 14th March, south east of Florida where the track layout is still being constructed and then to Long Beach on the 4th April for the seventh ePrix of the season. The modified IndyCar track is 2.1 km long and features seven turns. Andretti Autosport and Dragon Racing will be hoping for a home advantage here.
The ePrix du Moncaco, home race to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Venturi team as well as to a host of drivers is perhaps the most exciting race of the season is in at round 8. The iconic Formula 1 race circuit remains unchanged as the Formula E cars take to the track on the 9th May.
Germany hosts the penultimate ePrix in Berlin on the 30th May with the Audi Sport ABT Team and drivers including Daniel Abt and Nick Heidfeld enjoying the home advantage with the grand finale being held on the streets of Battersea, London in the United Kingdom on the 27th June. A host of teams and drivers such as Virgin and Sam Bird and Amlin and Katherine Legge will be hoping for some home support here. However, the last two track layouts still remain unknown.
Coverage of the first race begins on Saturday 13th at 8am on ITV4 in the UK with highlights at 6pm and on BTSport. While in America you can catch all 10 races live of Fox Sports 1.
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