New name & adapted concept with 2 performance classes: ACE Championship becomes Formula G

The junior electric racing series ACE Championship, which was presented in February, changed its name to "Formula G" and unveiled a new concept on Thursday. The open-wheeler category from ex-Mahindra team principal Dilbagh Gill and former Formula E driver Nick Heidfeld wants to compete with two different performance classes for professionals and newcomers and hold its first races at the end of 2024.

Formula G does not want to organise independent events, but rather act as a pure support series for various motorsport categories. These can include electric series such as Formula E as well as combustion engine classes.

The series want to make the events it supports "greener". Among other things, the G in the name stands for this green approach. Formula G also plays with the terms Groundbreaking, Good, Growth and Global on its website. The latter term indicates the series' geographical ambitions.

Gill and Heidfeld are planning to race in the regions of Europe & Africa, North and South America and Southwest Asia from the end of 2024. Specific countries have not yet been named. The East Asia region is also to be added in 2026.

2 performance classes with the same car

The race cars are likely to be modified Formula E cars from the Gen2 era, as was the ACE's plan until now. However, the software allows the series to run two different performance classes with the same cars. It therefore calls its racing car the "FG-ETwin". The front and rear wings should be adjustable and differ aerodynamically depending on the class.

In the more powerful FG-1, full performance is drawn from the battery, which should enable speeds of "more than 290 km/h". Only professional racing drivers will compete in this class.

In the less powerful FG-2, the series communicates a maximum speed of 240 km/h, which means that the class should be around 3.5 seconds slower per lap than the FG-1. It is explicitly aimed at young talent and possibly guest starters.

10 teams with 40 drivers

A total of ten teams are to compete in Formula G, each with 20 FG1 and 20 FG2 drivers. Each team is therefore scheduled to have two cars and four drivers in the line-up.

The vehicles will have LED displays and lights that communicate various aspects of the race: Lead car, battery status, fastest race lap, etc.

Formula G will have its own "Powerpark" as its headquarters, where all equipment will be stored centrally between races. This campus will also function as a training centre for young racing drivers and engineers and can be used for media activities.

Heidfeld: "Filling a gap in green racing that everyone has been waiting for"

CEO Gill confirms that Formula G has already finalised all the contracts and suppliers necessary for the start of the championship. "I am proud that Formula G has received support at all levels of the sport," said the Indian. "By conceptualising it as a global framework series that races in multiple regions, we have been able to create financial affordability and accessibility. We will create significantly more career opportunities on and off the track."

Gill is particularly convinced of the idea of two different performance classes: "When Nick Heidfeld and I launched ACE, we always had the vision of two series with the same teams competing against each other at their own events around the world." Thanks to its concept, Formula G should become "the leading support series in the fastest growing and underserved sector of motorsport".

Co-founder Heidfeld emphasises the hurdles that traditionally make it difficult for young talent to gain a foothold in motorsport: "I believe that Formula G is a truly unique racing platform that will remove many of these obstacles and create previously unattainable opportunities. It fills a gap in green racing that everyone has been waiting for - from teams and drivers to sponsors, organisers and race fans around the world."

Further announcements on strategic partnerships and details will be made by Formula G shortly. These will include the racing series that the series will support and the associated venues.