As ideas for how to improve the racing spectacle in season five continue as the teams move to one car per driver. Sam Bird believes that the car swap could remain in season five, but instead, races could be 70 or 80 minutes long.
Despite Bird understanding the need for Formula E to move to one car in order to show the technology improvemnt of the sport. The British driver was still hopeful that the sport might keep the car swap for season five.
“I don’t mind the car change,” said Bird. I think as long as we show the public that we are improving the technology, that’s the main thing.
“My idea was that we make the race slightly longer and still have the car swap, but we go much quicker, nearly flat out, and have the race at 70 or 80 minutes instead of 50 minutes.”
Degrading Tyres
If the drivers do have one car per race in season five. Bird believes that a tyre that degrades during the race, but you’re not allowed to pit to replace them might create some interesting races in the future.
“Honestly, I think it’s great that we go to one car in some respects, but we do need to do something. Is it a tyre swap? Maybe we make the tyre a much softer compound then it does fall away.
“When I was at SPA for the World Endurance race. The second stint was difficult because I lost grip in the tyre. So that’s what I mean you have to protect your tyres while driving as efficiently as you can, and if you get it wrong or you push too hard you will pay for it at the end of the race,” explained Bird.
Staying one of a kind
Bird also believes that the sport should remain unique to rest of motorsport and not fall into the clutches of traditional motorsport events, as the sport looks at ways to improve itself in the future.
“I like the fact that it’s one-of-a-kind. It’s very important for its identity and I think that’s why so many people love it so much. It gives us so many exciting races, the format that it is now.
So it’s important not to lose that identity, but there is the argument that would more people tune in if it was more traditional? I don’t know, but we shouldn’t try and become a normal motorsport event,” said Bird.
