Formula E: Top five changes for Season Five A new car, new race format, new city circuits, new power modes and new teams/drivers are set to make the fifth Formula E season the most exciting yet. Here are details on the biggest revisions: NEW FUTURISTIC GEN2 CAR (likened to “Batmobile” and designed to last next three seasons) Low-drag design 1.77m Upgrades: Double energy storage capacity and range of previous car – enables driver to complete full race at higher speeds – max 280km/h (174mph) – without making mid-race car swap Halo head protector light: Radiates two different colours, depending on power mode being utilised Tyres: New all-weather Michelin rubber is lighter and has less rolling resistance than previous iteration 5.16m Maximum power: 250kW (allowed during practice and qualifying only) Weight: 900kg (including driver and 385kg battery – up 20kg on previous car’s limit) NEW TIMED RACES Formula E requires careful energy management, so no more lap number limits. Each round now runs to strict duration of 45 minutes plus one lap to reach chequered flag TWO POWER MODES Attack Mode: Drivers passing through NEW activation zone placed off racing line (seen as graphic overlay on television) will be able to access 225kW of power, instead of standard 200kW output Fanboost: Followers vote online for favourite drivers – three highest scoring unlock extra 100kJ of energy to be used as extra boost during second half of race 11 TEAMS AND 22 DRIVERS (most since series began) Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Lucas di Grassi (BRA) Daniel Abt (GER) BMW Andretti Motorsport Antonio Felix Da Costa (POR) Alexander Sims (GBR) Envision Virgin Racing Sam Bird (GBR) Robin Frijns (NED) GEOX DRAGON Jose Maria Lopez (ARG) Max Guenther (GER) Panasonic Jaguar Racing Nelson Piquet Jr (BRA) Mitch Evans (NZL) Mahindra Racing Jerome D’Ambrosio (BEL) Felix Rosenqvist (SWE) NIO Formula E Team Oliver Turvey (GBR) Tom Dillmann (FRA) DS Techeetah Formula ETeam Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Andre Lotterer (GER) Venturi Formula E Team Edoardo Mortara (SUI) Felipe Massa (BRA) Nissan e.dams Sebastien Buemi (SUI) Oliver Rowland (GBR) HWA RACELAB NEW Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL) Gary Paffett (GBR) 12 EPRIX CITY CIRCUITS NEW Season debuts in Middle East for first time and adds mainland China and new Swiss destination to roster Jul 13-14, 2019: New York City, U.S.* Apr 27, 2019: Paris, France Jun 22, 2019: Berne, Switzerland May 25, 2019: Berlin, Germany Mar 10, 2019: Hong Kong, China May 11, 2019: Monaco† Feb 16, 2019: Mexico City, Mexico Jan 26, 2019: Santiago, Chile Apr 13, 2019: Rome, Italy Jan 12, 2019: Marrakesh, Morocco Dec 15, 2018: Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia Mar 23, 2019: Sanya, China Pictures: FIA *Double-header season finale Source: FIA Formula E Championship †Returning bi-annual event © GRAPHIC NEWS