Round 5 of Season 9 takes us to a brand new location: Cape Town. What can we expect from the newest addition to the electric calendar?
Credit: Formula E Media Bank
We love to see it. The newest addition to the Formula E race calendar will take place with the astonishing background of the Table Mountain overlooking the city of Cape Town, South Africa. With the inaugural event in sub-Saharan Africa, and second of three consecutive races in new locations for the championship, we are poised for a roller coaster of emotions this weekend. And if you think this race will be fun for us, imagine the challenge for the drivers. I guess we are onto something over here.
The high-speed circuit located in the Green Point district of Cape Town, it’s course spans for 2.921km offering views of Robben Island, the shadow of the Table Mountain, and winding around the DHL Stadium and the coastline. This track offers everything Formula E fans and drivers love – bumpy braking zones, tight chicanes (watch out for Turns 4, 5 and 6) and a fast, needle-like section in the middle of the lap. What can go right? What can go wrong? I guess we’ll all find out this weekend. Not to mention that considering the fact that the drivers will have their first go on this track this Friday, everyone starts at zero, creating an equal playing field. How exciting is this?
Although South Africa is not a newbie when it comes to hosting top level races, this weekends Cape Town E-Prix is the first World Championship event since 2010. Beforehand, the hottest place for racing in South Africa was Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit – conveniently located between Johannesburg and Pretoria. But as it seems, not only Cape Town might want to challenge for the crown, but it’s here to stay.
Thanks to e-Movement (Pty) Ltd, who secured the rights to the event for the next five years, this race will be revving up in the Western Cape. But this is more than just a thrilling race, it’s part of a broader vision to transform South Africa into an innovation hub that drives the renewable energy and mobility transition across the continent. By bringing the Formula E World Championship to the country, e-Movement (Pty) Ltd is paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future, positioning South Africa to thrive over the next 50 years. So, fasten your seat belts and get ready to join the electrifying action! The E-Prix is set to take centre stage at E-Fest, a seven-day extravaganza that celebrates everything from e-mobility and renewable energy solutions to cutting-edge sustainability practices. E-Fest promises to be an unforgettable experience with an Investor Summit that will bring together financial backers committed to driving the green economy forward, and an e-Mobility Festival that will showcase the latest in e-Mobility technology and how it can help build a cleaner, greener future for all.
Alberto Longo, Co-founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said: “We’ve had a very positive response within our ecosystem of teams, drivers and sponsors about coming to Cape Town, so we are delighted that the City is joining our Season 9 calendar. When I first met Iain Banner [Chairman of race promoter e-Movement (Pty) Ltd] in 2019, he said that he was confident that Cape Town had the potential to be one of the top cities on our global calendar. This is my first visit to South Africa and having now seen the beauty of the Mother City, I feel confident that he is right.” (Source: Formula E)
Iain Banner, Chairman, race promoter e-Movement (Pty) Ltd, said: “The public has been crying out for an open-wheel, street-circuit race and we are now answering those cries. With Table Mountain as the backdrop and Robben Island in the foreground, I have no doubt the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will garner substantial support in Cape Town and throughout South Africa.” (Source: Formula E)
And just before we leave you with all of this excitement, here’s the deal: with a quarter of the season complete, its TAG Heuer Porsche and Pascal Wehrlein leading the way in both the Teams’ and Drivers’ World Championships. Closely following him and his team we have Jake Dennis and Avalanche Andretti in the second place, with Jean-Eric Vergne in 3rd place. Despite the French being third in Drivers Championship, it is not DS Penske occupying the same spot in the Constructors Championship: it’s the green team of Envision Racing, thanks to a consistent performance from both Buemi and Cassidy, who are currently sitting in P4 and P5 in terms of points. The fight between P3, P4 and P5 in Constructors Championship is something to keep in the back of your head – as it might get spicy when you throw Jaguar, McLaren and the before-mentioned Envision into the mix.
Here’s the sessions schedule for this weekend’s Cape Town E-Prix:
FP1 – 24/02/2023 – 16:00 – 16:30 CET
FP2 – 25/02/2023 – 08:10 – 8:40 CET
Qualifying – 25/02/2023 – 10:40 – 11:55 CET
Race – 25/02/2023 – 15:04 – 16:00 CET
With all of this information and the electric atmosphere looming over the Table Mountain, we hope you’re as excited as we are for this weeks E-Prix. You can find the coverage of the WHOLE weekend here at Pitdebrief.com
And don’t forget: Enjoy the race, wherever you are! ✨
