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Rosberg predicts an electric future for F1

Published on 25 Jan 2019 10:02
7
By: Coilin Higgins

Former Williams and Mercedes F1 driver Nico Rosberg has predicted a switch to electric cars for Formula 1 sometime in the future, thanks to rivalry in single seater series Formula and the rise of electric and hydrogen cars in everyday use. Rosberg reckons these factors will force an eventual change in the series.

Rosberg, who won the F1 world championship in 2016 after a tough battle with former teammate Lewis Hamilton is a known investor in Formula E. The series is continuing to convince major manufacturers such as Audi, BMW and Nissan to the series in an attempt to develop their own experiences in electric cars for use in everyday life.

"If the whole world is selling electric cars, or hydrogen cars, Formula 1 can't still be running on petrol engines, that wouldn't make sense," Rosberg commented during his appearance at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos. "At some point they will have to switch I believe."

As mentioned, Rosberg has become an investor in Formula E, and has also made various other commitments into different technology-based businesses. Last year at Formula E's Berlin ePrix, Rosberg made a one time return to the cockpit as he debuted the series' current Generation 2, or "Gen2" Formula E car.

"Two years ago everybody was like, 'Nah, nah, electric cars', and now even some of the craziest petrolheads are becoming very open-minded about it and it's starting to become cool very quickly."

The electric series has been praised by former F1 stars such as Rosberg and Felipe Massa, who is currently competing in the series with Venturi, with ex-drivers Lucas DiGrassi, Jean-Eric Vergne, Sebastien Buemi and Nelson Piquet Jr. have all become champions in the series to date.

Rindtchamp

Posts: 304

I've been an F1 fan since the days of Jochen Rindt but the day F1 goes electric is the day I stop watching new races, simple as that. After forcing myself to watch two Formula E races, there is no way in hell I'd watch electric F1. it's just not for me.

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Jan 25 2019 - 16:00

F1 News Nico Rosberg

Replies (7)

mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
If Europe( and the ROW) transitions to clean energy, is n't this a natural transition for F1 to move to? so much for a 'prediction'. I will give 3 'predictions' to a silly list: a) Humans will step on Mars b) Global temperatures rise every year c) Solar energy would be widely adapted.
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- Jan 25 2019 - 14:24
Rindtchamp

Posts: 304
I've been an F1 fan since the days of Jochen Rindt but the day F1 goes electric is the day I stop watching new races, simple as that. After forcing myself to watch two Formula E races, there is no way in hell I'd watch electric F1. it's just not for me.
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- Jan 25 2019 - 16:00
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I dont see a reason for you to leave provided the racing still is good though? FE isnt good racing, because FE was released too early and in a shoddy state. More planning, thought and mature tech, coupled with better venues, would've done a world's wonder, Im sure.
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  Jan 25 2019 - 18:01
- mcbhargav
  
  Posts: 1,332
  One of the pain points of the FE is not having enough juice in those batteries to push the motors at high W/h for a full race, which was limited by the energy density of the current battery composition. With ever increasing power densities, FE is acting itself as a test bed for the future racing formulas, by the time, majority cars go electric.
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  Jan 25 2019 - 18:38
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
I think they'll switch when EV is matured, assuming something else hasnt replaced EV by then. Until then, they'll probably just have hybrids but increase the efficiency until they basically are EVs. FE's current position forces F1 to stay hybrid anyway, and I think thats good, looking at the poor release state FE was in.
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- Jan 25 2019 - 18:00
- f1ski
  
  Posts: 726
  Formula E is just symbolic of our world today. fans can give certain drivers an advantage? Electric cars that are no more efficient in converting fuel to kinetic energy than a conventional car. F1 cars are 50% efficient. Going all electric won't help global warming. consuming less energy will. They (the powers that be) will ban racing? F1 needs to loosen the rulebook to allow innovation. Give them x liters of fuel set dimensions and then go.
  + 1
  
  Jan 26 2019 - 15:47
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  The fans being able to impact a driver's placing is weird to say the least. It involves the audience in the wrong way. Just imagine F1 being done the same way. As for F1 vs FE regarding efficiency... Well FE gets its juices from powerplants specialized in producing high efficiency power, so that isnt its problem there, assuming the energy is mostly of nuclear, wind, water or sun origin. The problem is that EVs, from the get go, put a really nasty environmental print, and you need to run them for a long time for that to go away, and mostly pure EVs dont run for more than 10 years before the battery runs dry. Hybrids put a kinda similar print, but dont really suffer the same way, chiefly because modern ERS-hybrids (aside from F1) tend to have a long battery life. Going EV would help if the battery lasted for longer, assuming the energy produced itself dont put a nasty print to begin with, EV production need to ship stuff around way less than what they do today to be environmentally viable. But those arent the details told, so people trust them blindly while we are potentially running headfirst into another dieselgate.
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  Jan 26 2019 - 19:55