Formula E changes qualifying format for new Gen2 era
Formula E’s new era will feature a revised group qualifying system and heavier grid penalties for drivers exceeding their allocation of powertrain elements on their Gen2 cars.
According to the recently published FIA FE sporting regulations for the 2018-19 season, the group qualifying system will consist of four batches of a maximum of six drivers – to reflect HWA joining FE’S ranks to bring the grid up to 22 – with the running order no longer randomly drawn. Drivers will still be grouped by championship position, but the top six will always be the first out, with the remaining groups qualifying in descending standings order. For the Riyadh season opener, finishing positions from the 2017-18 championship will determine the drivers in each group. The superpole will now contain the fastest six from group qualifying, up from five.
Each car number will be designated two electric motors, two gearboxes, two inverters and one battery pack for the duration of the championship. The ‘joker’ change of any of these components has been removed for season five.
Instead of dropping 10 grid spots for exceeding the allocation of those components, drivers will lose 20 grid positions at the next race, and if they cannot drop 20 places (which will be tricky in a 22-car field), drivethrough and time penalties will be applied.
From season five, drivers can use their regen systems at any time, and the minimum car-and-driver weight has risen from 880kg to 900kg. Car-to-team data transition when auxiliary batteries are attached in parc ferme conditions is now allowed.
The ‘hyperboost’ – sources suggest that ‘attack mode’ will become the Mario Kart-inspired concept’s official name – continues to remain vague. The FIA has carefully worded the rules regarding the system to retain flexibility over its use, while FE CEO Alejandro Agag expects it will have a duration of “eight minutes” per race.
“FIA will decide how many windows before each race, so it’s not a fixed number,” he continued. “But it will be eight minutes at the hyperboost attack mode. We are going to test the system in mid-october [pre-season testing].”
In other FE news, Formula 2 racer and Mclaren junior Nyck de Vries will be Audi’s reserve driver for this weekend’s New York 2017-18 season finale.