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| A Unigate milk float from way back (Wikipedia GNU Free Documentation Licence) |
Now, I haven't watched F1 (Formula 1) for a couple of years, because it is boring. It is a two-horse event where all the excitement revolves around which is the quickest team to change a set of wheels. Formula E has just started its fourth season, and I have never seen it, so wondered if it would be better. I sat and watched the second round, Hong Kong, day two.
Apart from the obvious - no engine noise, just whining - there was a total lack of charisma, character, or excitement. The presenters are lacklustre, the drivers (when interviewed), too. It probably is wonderful if you are a computer / electronics geek. For petrol-heads it's about as exciting as racing milk-floats.
The actual race was interesting ... inasmuch as there was a modicum of overtaking (lacking in F1), lightened by the comedic events during the compulsory pit stop. There is more excitement with Scalextric.
Obviously, the way forward for the motor industry is electric cars, and Formula E must be a great arena for research and development, but once we have the world travelling by E-cars (and, heaven forbid, driverless, or should I say, autonomous - although looking at some Audis and BMWs around me in traffic I'm not so sure it won't be an improvement), we will need to build a few nuclear power plants to cope with the extra demand.
Will I watch Formula E again? No. And unless F1 changes, I won't return to that, either. I'll stick with proper racing, with real racers, DTM, WEC, BTCC, MotoGP, Superbikes.
(* for those not old enough to remember Benny Hill, 'Ernie' drove the fastest milk cart in the west)
