Our Athletes Voice series gives athletes a forum to talk about how technology has impacted their careers and their lives away from sports. This week, Formula E driver Oliver Turvey talks about the evolution of the electric racing series, and how auto manufacturers are investing in new technology.
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Oliver Turvey began racing with the NIO Formula E team in 2015, joining the all-electric league near the end of the inaugural season’s finale. He recorded his first podium finish in Mexico City in the 2017-18 season, and placed 10th in the championship that same year.
Turvey began racing karts aged 8, and won two British titles before switching to single seater racing cars in 2003 at the age of 16. Over the next decade he raced across a range of different motorsports series, winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award in 2006 and setting the second fastest time in a Formula 1 young drivers test in 2010. Since 2012 he has worked as a test driver for the McLaren Racing team.
He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in engineering in 2008, and was the first student to be awarded a Full Blue, the university’s highest athletic honor, for motor racing.
Formula E Changes…
“This has been one of the most exciting seasons. There have been so many different winners. And the new car is a step forward from the previous car. There’s more technology now. The biggest change is the brake-by-wire system where you brake on the rear axle, which [saves on] energy. Since the rear brakes are controlled electronically, there’s more involvement from engineering teams on the software side.”
“We don’t have a pit stop now, so to add strategy to races Formula E introduced Attack Mode this season. It adds strategy to the race depending on when you decide to take it. You lose time and lose positions initially; but then you get an increase in power which gives you a chance to overtake. The importance of making sure you take it at the right time has made races more exciting.”
FORMULA EVOLUTION: ‘Attack Mode’ Power Boosts Resonate With Younger Fans
Pre-Race Preparation…
“Before every race we have a simulator, which has a virtual track map. We do a lot of our prep on the simulator ahead of the race. You get to use that technology to prepare for each race, which is important in Formula E because race days are so short and you don’t get much time to warm up. The race event happens in one day and you have to be best prepared for each race. A simulator allows us to work on learning the track and how to use energy effectively in the race.”
“Each team has their own simulator and each team is away from the track developing their simulator to be as close as it can to reality. We have had a version of a simulator since season two. It’s always evolving and always developing. There’s a lot more racing online and gaming, so the simulator is kind of like a virtual world. It’s obviously not like driving a real car, you don’t feel all the bumps of a track. But you’re trying to get the feel of the brakes and things you can work on; it’s a useful tool.”
“Prep is a little bit learning the tracks, but it’s mainly for preparing the car technology. It’s more for things such as tuning the settings we have in the car before we arrive so we can start a little more prepared. In Formula E, a lot of the development or prep for each race is on the software side: how the electrical power train works, how we reach energy in the race. We have to manage the energy because we only get [54 kilowatt hours] for each race. You have to save a little energy to be efficient with your driving.”
“I do a lot of running and cycling and use Garmin Watch for tracking and training. I keep physically fit to make sure that in each race I can perform the best I can. The fitter I can be, the more it helps mentally.”
Industry Investment…
“We race every couple weeks and we’re all very competitive and want to win; I think that’s where racing can really improve the development of the technology.”
“What Formula E has achieved in such a short space of time is really impressive. The championship has strengthened each season and the money coming into Formula E has been amazing. It probably has the most money factor of any championship in motorsport. All major car manufacturers have joined in Formula E. This season we had BMW join. Mercedes-Benz and Porsche will join next season. Having so many of the manufacturers is fantastic for the championship.”
“The industry is going toward electric vehicles. Formula E provides competitive development for electric powertrains, which can then be turned into road cars. The championship is focused on the differences in, and the development of, powertrains. The rest of the car is the same for each team. The competition pushes the development of the technology. We race every couple weeks and we’re all very competitive and want to win; I think that’s where racing can really improve the development of the technology.”
Fan Engagement…
“Formula E has come in as a new championship and done things a little bit differently. For example, there are only street races in the championship. You’re racing in the cities, which makes it easier for people to come and see. The tracks are quite spectator friendly, and there’s a lot of interaction with the fans.”
“They’ve been thinking out-of-the-box in terms of motorsport and I think that’s attracted new fans to the sport. They made it a fun race series. It’s an exciting race, and the technology is cutting edge so the race is always really close. The level of drivers in the championship is probably one of the highest in the world. It’s unpredictable, so as a spectator you never really know what’s going to happen. Even as a driver you don’t really know. It’s a fun experience that has attracted a younger audience.”
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Read more in our ongoing Athletes Voice series…
- eMLS All-Star Mike LaBelle: We Have the Opportunity to Shape Competitive Gaming
- NBA 3-Point Champ Joe Harris: The Sports App I Wish I’d Had as a Kid
- NHL Great Theo Fleury: ‘I’m Involved in the Biggest Epidemic on the Planet’
- Tim Anselimo Survived a Mass Shooting to Return to the NBA 2K League
- Chris Geiler Believes Data Can Save Lives in Skydiving
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