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Liberty Media's Ross Brawn says that Formula 1 could turn into an all-electric racing series in the next decade should it provide a better show for fans. Currently, F1 has a big injection of electric components to power the cars, but still relies massively on the combustion engine.
Formula E, the pinnacle of electric racing, has been growing since its maiden season four years ago. With electric vehicles becoming more common on the road, and governments around the world banning the sale of normally aspirated engined cars in the next 20 to 30 years, Brawn admits that F1 could turn to 100% electric power.
"I think we have to respect what Formula E is doing and what it's achieving," Brawn said "But if you look at the magnitude of the two they are not really comparable; the amount of fans we have and the appeal of Formula 1, Formula E is still very junior in that respect.
"I think Formula 1 will evolve in the direction that has the right balance of sport, relevance and engagement with the fans. If in five years' time or ten years' time there is a need, desire or wish to have a different type of power unit in Formula 1 then we will do it. There is nothing to stop us having electric Formula 1 cars in the future.
"At the moment they don't deliver the spectacle, and with all due respect if you go to a Formula E race it is a pretty junior category of motor racing,” he continued.
“It's a great event in terms of all of the stuff that is going on around it, but the race itself is pretty tame when you compare it to a Formula 1 event. The cars are not particularly fast, you don't have the personalities involved but they are doing a fabulous job at putting on an event and making it a street party."
However, he has assured that the sport will be moving in the right direction: "Ten years ago I don't think many people would be able to predict where the world is now and therefore I don't know where we will be in ten years, but Formula 1 will move in the right direction."
Despite big callings for F1 to return to solely combustion engined cars without any electrical input, Brawn says that it is likely F1 will return to those ways. F1 last used normally aspirated engines in 2013, the final year of the V8 engine regulations.
"There is a part of me which would love that to happen,” he said. “I do love the old F1 engines but I don't see how we could make that step back without such a radical revolution that would really polarise Formula 1 and split it apart.
"The manufacturers we have in Formula 1 at the moment are committed to the engines we have now, and should we have a revolution? I don't think so. I'd love to have those engines but it's not going to happen, so we need to evolve the engines we have now and learn the lessons from introducing these engines to see how we can take them in a direction that is a bit more appealing to the fans."
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
f1dave
Posts: 782
A sure way to kill F1.