SEASON 8 PREVIEW
There is plenty to look forward to as we head into the brand new season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, from the new qualifying format, awesome new race locations and an epic driver line up.
ALEXANDER X OLIVER
At the end of last year we had a taste of our exciting new driver pairing as they tested the cars in Valencia. Both Formula E race winners, Alexander Sims and Oliver Rowland bring heaps of talent and experience to the grid for Season 8.
With a year driving for Mahindra Racing under his belt, Alexander is heading into the new season with his feet firmly grounded in the team. After a number of strong performances, including that podium in Rome, during Season 7, we can expect more great racing from the Brit this year. Maybe we will even get to see those podium dance moves again?
Oliver’s first E-Prix was way back 2015 when he stepped in to deputise for an injured Nick Heidfeld with Mahindra Racing; and then when he returned to the series for a full season in 2018 he was awarded Rookie of the Year for his impressive performances with Nissan e.dams. The 29-year-old’s attacking driving style is sure to bring success for the team in 2022.
NEW RACE LOCATIONS
This year we are so excited to be racing at three new locations! Round 9 will see the Formula E circus travel to Jakarta in Indonesia; the largest city in Southeast Asia. The following month we will touch down in Vancouver, Canada for an epic first event in the city after Formula E had previously raced in Montreal. The jam-packed season will end with a double-header in the city of Seoul, South Korea.
As well as these exciting additions, Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will also see a return to some of the series’ favourite locations. Diriyah, Rome, Berlin, New York and London will all host double-header events, while visits to the vibrant metropolis of Mexico City and the notorious streets of Monte Carlo also return.
This calendar is the most extensive the series has seen to date, and it’s guaranteed to bring some action!
NEW QUALI FORMAT
The 2022 season will also be delivering a brand new Qualifying format, which was trialled at the Valencia test and will be introduced from Round 1 in Diriyah. The new format, created to add even more excitement and showcase the best performance of the teams, is a game of two halves.
Qualifying will open with group qualifying sessions before moving on to head-to-head duels. There will be two groups – each with eleven drivers, and these groups will be created based upon the Driver’s Championship standings; with drivers in the odd numbers of championship positions in Group A and evens in Group B.
Each group will have ten minutes of track time, with no restriction on the number of lap opportunities to achieve a quick time. This will be completed at 220kW power level. The fastest four from each group will then progress to duels, which step up to the 250kW power level. The duels will be completed on a knockout basis, starting with four quarter-finals, followed by two semi-finals and the final which will determine pole position.
Keep a close eye on our socials as we ramp up towards Round 1 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on 28th January 2022.
