In just under a month, the world of Formula E will descend on Cape Town for the first time, bringing the excitement of electric racing to the city’s streets.

The 2.94km circuit, with views of Table Mountain, beaches and Signal Hill, promises to be one of the fastest tracks on the global series calendar.

The race starts in Vlei Road at the DHL Stadium in Green Point. Drivers then navigate a tight left-hand turn onto Helen Suzman Boulevard towards the city before sweeping through to Granger Bay Boulevard and facing two sharp chicanes.

They then make another tight turn onto Beach Road, passing Oranjezicht City Market and Granger Bay Harbour, flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on the right, before heading home on Fritz Sonnenberg Road.

Formula E has many similar features to other racing series, with 11 teams of two drivers each competing over 16 rounds in 11 different countries. South Africa will be the fifth round, following the race in Hyderabad, India.

The 2.94km circuit through the streets of Green Point and Granger Bay around the iconic DHL Stadium is one of the fastest on the calendar. (Photos: Supplied)

Fully electric single-seater racing

Formula E is an FIA world championship with a twist, bringing electric technology to motor racing to create an event that is a fascinating glimpse into a possible future for automobiles.

This year sees the beginning of the Gen3 era in Formula E, bringing new regulations and faster cars to the tracks. The cars now have a top power output of 350kW and can reach speeds of 322km/h.

They also feature regenerative braking which produces around 40% of the total power used during a race. This feeds into a crucial part of race strategy, as the driver must manage the energy levels of the car to make it to the end.

As with Formula 1, the race weekend consists of practice sessions, qualifying sessions and the race.

 Fans will get a first taste of the action on Friday, 24 February when the drivers will take to the track in free practice 1. The following day, the real fun begins as free practice 2, the qualifying session and the race are held – on Saturday, 25 February.

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Qualifying

While in F1, where qualifying takes place over three rounds and drivers are eliminated until 10 remain to jostle for the prime positions, Formula E’s fight for grid positions takes a knock-out approach.

The 22 drivers are separated into two groups and then battle it out at 300kW to set lap times in a 10-minute session, with the fastest four from each group progressing into the Duels stage and quarterfinals.

Here, eight drivers go head-to-head to set the quickest time at 350kW, with the four winners moving on to the semifinals. The semis produce two top drivers, who then compete against one another in a final duel for P1 and P2 on the grid, with the others falling into place behind, according to their final results and times.

The winner of the Final Duel is awarded the Julius Baer Pole Position and also receives three championship points.

The race

The E-Prix is raced along a set number of laps, but laps can be added should there be a disrupting safety car or yellow-flag period.

Drivers have access to an exciting, electric edge called Attack Mode, which allows them to deploy an extra 50kW of power for four minutes total – either used in segments of two minutes each or in a three-one division.

This extra boost of speed gives the drivers the chance to fight for position, defend from attack, or race harder for an advantage. There is a catch though: to secure Attack Mode, drivers must drive off the racing line into the Activation Zone, a trade-off which makes for a slower drive through the corner.

Formula E has also slated a new development for later in the year, which will allow cars to come into the pits for 30 seconds for an in-race boost of energy, which unlocks two Attack Mode periods.

Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers, with 25 points for the winner, 18 for the second, 15 for the third, decreasing to a single point for 10th place. An additional point is awarded to the driver who has achieved the fastest lap, provided they finish in the top 10.

Who to look out for

With 11 teams on the grid, there is no shortage of drivers and brands to root for, with famous names such as Jaguar, McLaren, Porsche and Maserati ready to settle into the garages.

American team DS Penske boasts an impressive lineup, with reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne partnering double champion Jean-Eric Vergne. The team was one of the first to join the series and, with such an experienced and successful driver pairing, their black and gold cars are two to watch.

Motorsport fans will no doubt recognise the signature papaya of the NEOM McLaren racing cars making their debut in Formula E. The outfit acquired the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, which had two world championships under its belt.

Closer to home, South Africa’s Kelvin van der Linde has a reserve driver role at ABT Cupra, though time will tell whether he will be racing in Cape Town.

 Another local can also be found at Jaguar TCS Racing, where South African James Barclay is at the helm as the team’s principal.

Special mention must be made of Formula E’s safety car, the Porsche Taycan. This striking vehicle is Porsche’s first all-electric sports car and can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 260km/h, with an output of up to 560kW.

Electric elephant in the room

It may seem ironic that South Africa faces its worst power crisis as an all-electric racing series comes to the country.

Iain Banner, chairman of the company e-Movement, which partnered with Formula E to bring the championship to South Africa, told Daily Maverick several plans were in place to power the event.

e-Movement worked with the City of Cape Town to identify needs in power stations in the area and has implemented some upgrades where needed.

“Up to Stage 6 of load shedding, the City is able to guarantee a constant supply without any possibility of power outages,” Banner said.

In addition, Formula E provides its own backup power for each race, created by generators that are powered by biofuels. These generators also charge the batteries of the cars.

In short, the event itself will be powered by the Cape Town grid, with backup generators, while the cars will be powered by the generators and supplemented from the grid if necessary. DM168

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.