By Alan Baldwin
LONDON Aug 27 (Reuters) – A new ‘Formula E’ global series of city centre electric car races will start in 2014 after motor sport’s governing body licensed the commercial rights to a Hong Kong-based consortium.
A statement on Monday said London-based Spanish businessman Enrique Banuelos will be lead investor in Formula E Holdings Ltd, with compatriot and fellow shareholder Alejandro Agag serving as chief executive.
British businessman Paul Drayson, a former Science Minister and amateur racing driver who runs Drayson Racing Technologies, is also involved in a project that will cost about 50 million euros ($62.59 million) to launch.
The promoters said that the series, sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), aimed for races in at least 10 different cities – of which five will be in Europe.
Proposed locations worldwide include Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing as well as Mumbai, Sydney, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Mexico City, Miami and Los Angeles.
Agag told Reuters that there was already an agreement in place with Rio while a race around Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate would be the first choice for Germany.
The plans are for a grid of 10 teams and 20 drivers in 2014, expanding to 14 teams the following year, with entrants able to use their own cars or one based on a Formulec EF01 prototype which has already achieved a top speed of 240kph.
Races will be an hour in duration but because the batteries will last only 15-20 minutes, there will be two pitstops scheduled with drivers having to change cars.
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