4 Reasons to Watch Formula E

Since its birth in 2014, Formula E has grown into a fully-fledged sport on the world stage. I spoke recently about the way in which Formula E has been successful in engaging the spectators in a new and more effective way. Some have dismissed the all-electric motorsport - not everyone will enjoy everything. However, a growing number of sports fans are embracing Formula E for multiple rationales. Here are four reasons that you should join these people and explore what Formula E has to offer.

It is easy to watch (in a lot of places):

The past decade or so has seen many sports heading from free-to-view to pay-TV. There is a lot of money to made in sport, not least in television money. Unfortunately, this transition has determined for many people what sports they can watch and how they can watch it. For Formula E fans, this is less of a problem as things stand. 

Some TV networks do charge their audience to view Formula E. However, e-Prix are streamed on social media sites, such as YouTube, making it is free to watch in most territories - especially if you have a VPN. Airing the sport on social media opens up the options for audiences to tune in, making it easier to watch a race on the go without the need to applications that you don’t already have and know. 

What is more, is that Formula E races are easier to attend. They are in a city, qualifying and the race occur on the same day, and the prices won’t exactly break the bank - an issue with attending races from other categories. Formula E have created not just a racing series, but an event in which the whole family can have fun, learn and enjoy racing affordably. 

Close racing:

In the final qualifying of the 2019/20 Formula E season, twenty-three of the twenty 24 drivers were separated by less than a second. During this season, eight Drivers from six teams won during the eleven rounds of the season. Such statistics epitomise the highly competitive nature of Formula E as a racing series.

Formula E saves costs by nature of all chassis and batteries being equal up and down the grid. As a result, there is no gulf in performance between teams due to contracting funds. Less predictable racing keeps us guessing, therefore, coming back for more. It also means that the actions of the driver have a greater weighting - mistakes are punished, as are moments of brilliance be rewarded. So the Drivers Championship means that little bit more - after all, they are the heroes that we come to see.

You can affect the race:

Formula E is just as much about those watching as those in the cockpit. Naturally then, spectators are involved in the race. With the innovative ‘fan boost’, those drivers most mentioned on social media gain extra power for a period during the race. 

In motorsport fans sometimes struggle to see the human below the helmet. Fan Boost encourages the drivers and the fans to engage with one another, making it a more accessible sport of which to be a part.

We, as the fans, feel a part of our driver’s journey, while social media will see an increase in Formula E activity during race weeks. Everyone wins - but if you get involved, your driver might just win more often.

Formula E is the future:

As an all-electric sport, Formula E uses the technology that we will all move towards in the coming years. The exciting thing about motorsport is that teams are always searching for performance, and with that comes innovation. The technology that comes to the track will eventually be on your road car if it is successful. So when you watch an e-Prix, you see into the future. Cool? I thought so too. 

So there are your four reasons to start watching Formula E. As a competitive, interactive and accessible racing series that looks into the future, you might as well watch it, or risk being overtaken. 

Last year, there was a big discussion between two of my flatmates - Formula E: is it worth watching? 

One of my flatmates, a fan of Formula One, Cricket and criticising VAR in Football, isn’t excited by Formula E. To him, it just seemed fake compared to Formula One. 

My other flatmate enjoys almost all sports. Formula E is no exception. He has taken to watching e-Prix with his brothers or friends.

These are two contrasting attitudes towards Formula E. You are always going to find those who are happy with how things are, but others are open to what is next. There are few certainties in life. One, though, is that change will always come. If that is the case, you might as well embrace it.