Thursday, 09 august 2018, 11:22 , by Matthew Scott
Ross Brawn has confirmed that Formula 1 could end up becoming an all-electric series, although he says it must provide a better spectacle than the "tame" races that are currently found in Formula E. F1 has sued hybrid power units since 2014 and Brawn predicts that the evolution could lead the sport away from internal combustion engines.
Formula E recently concluded its fourth season, while its fifth is set to see the introduction of a second-generation car that will run quicker and longer than the previous models.
The new cars in FE will have estimated top speeds of 180mph, although that is still some way down on the grunt of an F1 car and Brawn says the premier series will go its own way in the electric world, rather than follow in FE's footsteps.
"I think we have to respect what Formula E is doing and what it's achieving," he told F1 Fan Voice.
"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.
"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.
"Formula 1 is different to that, Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, the speeds we do, the calibre of drivers we have and the teams we have, and if that moves in five or ten years' time to a different power source then we will do it if that is most appealing and achieves what we want to achieve."