Formula E

Paddock Whispers: News ticker on all the important Formula E topics in London

Tobias Wirtz

Tobias Wirtz

FIA Formula E

The 2024-25 Formula E season comes to an end this weekend in London. As always, you can find out what else is keeping the paddock in the ExCeL Centre  busy alongside the action on the track in the latest edition of our popular "Paddock Whispers" series. We will update this news ticker regularly throughout the weekend.

>>> Nissan launches its own radio station

[26/07 10:07] Nissan came up with something special for fans at the weekend: it set up its own radio station at ExCeL. The power for this comes from the battery of a new Nissan Leaf. In addition to music, the station also broadcasts interviews with the drivers and team boss Tommaso Volpe, as well as live commentary on the race.

The radio station can be accessed at www.garageradio.london.

>>> Live music acts in London

[26.07. 09:27] Entertainment for fans in London is guaranteed this weekend: Pixie Lott will perform on Saturday and Rizzle Kicks on Sunday on a large stage in the Fan Village. As in previous years, the orchestra will also be in London and will perform the intro before the race live, among other things.

>>> Drivers sceptical despite new asphalt: "It's going to be a pretty wild ride"

[26.07. 08:55] Parts of the outdoor section of the London circuit were resurfaced ahead of this year's event. Drivers are therefore expecting significantly improved lap times this weekend.

"Maybe a little bit (of a difference), but I don't think it will be like night and day," said Nico Müller when asked by e-Formula.news about the impact of the resurfacing. "The changes are rather minor. The bumps between turns 13 and 16, which are particularly challenging, are still there. The new asphalt will make it a little faster, but it's not a huge change."

"The new asphalt does make a difference", says Max Günther in an interview with e-Formula.news. "We have ten or eleven different types of asphalt on this track, which is quite unique. I think the track will be faster overall than in previous years. But the section between turns 13 and 16 is unchanged – and that's where most of the bumps are. So it's still going to be a pretty wild ride."

>>> Phil Charles about James Barclay: "I will miss him"

[26/07 07:18] At the team principals' press conference ahead of the race weekend, outgoing Jaguar team principal James Barclay was joined by DS Penske deputy team principal Phil Charles. The two have a shared history, having worked together at Jaguar for many years. "I will miss hin in the paddock", said the Briton about his former colleague, who is leaving Formula E and will head up McLaren's sports car programme from August.

"We had a great journey together and started from a low," Charles describes. "When I started with James, we were at the back and we came through to win championship and lots of races. It's a great achievement to redevelop like that."

However, the two already have joint plans for the future: "But we'll go and do some gokarting together at some point. I will win initially because of the weight. But we'll weighten the karts correctly. We'll continue the competition outside of this arena."

>>> Adrien Fourmaux suffers breakdown with Formula E demo car

[25/07 19:22] While Max Günther was doing laps in the Rally Hyundai this afternoon, rally driver Adrien Fourmaux was given the opportunity to drive the Formula E demo car. However, the session ended sooner than expected: after only two laps, the red flag was waved. Shortly afterwards, the car returned to the pits on a tow truck.

The cause is not yet known. However, there was no visible damage to the car. We captured the car's return on the tow truck exclusively on video.

>>> Until 2048: FIA extends contract with Formula E

[25/07 16:24] The FIA has announced that it has extended the contract for the organisation of Formula E, which was initially concluded for 25 years, by a further ten years: Formula E Holdings, the company behind the racing series headed by Alejandro Agag, will continue to act as promoter for the all-electric racing series until at least 2048. This is intended to give the organisers planning security beyond 2038 in terms of investments and the conclusion of partnerships.

>>> Günther will drive WRC car in London

[25/07 14:22] We spotted rally driver Adrien Fourmaux in the paddock in London. The Hyundai works driver is here in a promotional activity for Hankook on the course at the ExCeL exhibition centre. He told Max Günther much about his Hyundai WRC car, who will be driving the later today on the track in London. When asked by e-Formula.news, Günther said that he doesn't expect to be as fast as his Formula E car. "We have all-wheel-drive, too, and the Formula E car is much lighter. So there is no advantage of the WRC car, compared to it."

>>> Formula E partners with Marvel Studios

[25/07 13:46] The Formula E season finale will have a special name: The Marvel Fantastic Four London E-Prix. Formula E has announced a partnership with Marvel Studios ahead of the race weekend, which also includes the title partnership for the final E-Prix of the 2024-25 season. The Attack Mode in London will also officially bear the name "Fantastic Four Attack Mode".

The racing series is promoting the new Marvel movie "The Fantastic Four: First Steps", which has been in cinemas since this week.

>>> Nato likely to stay with Nissan

[25/07 13:02] Nissan has decided to continue with Norman Nato for the coming season. This is reported by the colleagues at The Race. Nato is clearly behind his team-mate Oliver Rowland in this season's points standings. At the Berlin E-Prix, which Nato missed due to his WEC commitment with Cadillac, substitute driver Sergio Sette Camara was driving the Nissan car, but he was also unconvincing. This would be Nato's third season with Nissan after 2023 and 2024/25.

>>> Porsche Halos

[25/07 12:37] As with every E-Prix, Porsche has two new slogans on the halos of its cars for the season finale in London: "Expecting Reign in London" and "London Eye's on the Prize".

>>> Günther with special helmet

[25/07 10:33] Maximilian Günther will be driving in London with a special helmet design that was created together with his watch sponsor Bianchet. This includes many technical details of the watch. After the London E-Prix, Günther will auction off the helmet in aid of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. He has been involved with the charitable organisation since 2022.

 
 
 
 
 
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>>> Zak Brown in London as a guest

[25/07 09:55] McLaren CEO Zak Brown visited the London E-Prix on Friday. McLaren is contesting its last Formula E race this weekend before the British sports car brand pulls out of the electric series after three years

However, it can be assumed that Brown will only be watching these races on TV or live stream at most, as the Belgian Grand Prix in the Formula 1 World Championship is also taking place this weekend. McLaren is currently leading the drivers' and constructors' standings.

>>> Sustainability measures in London

[24/07 17:27] The London E-Prix will use a mix of solar, wind and hydroelectric power with the help of ExCeL's energy supplier. This means that no generators for HVOs, which are normally used at most races, need to be transported to London.

The transport from Berlin to London also took place entirely overland. Biofuels were used, which further reduced CO2 emissions.

>>> Cyclists in the Mahindra simulator

[24/07 17:03] The two British professional cyclists Sophie Capewell and Harry Radford have swapped their bikes for a Formula E simulator. At Mahindra Racing, the Shell-supported riders were allowedinside the Great Britain Cycling Team at the virtual wheel of the Formula E racing car.

 
 
 
 
 
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>>> Radio interview with Dan Ticktum

[24/07 16:13] Cupra Kiro driver Dan Ticktum has given a radio interview to BBC London ahead of the race weekend. In addition to the track for the season finale, which he described as "akward" (difficult), he also talked about his personality and the response he often receives.

"It's perfect in the world we live in now, because obviously with social media and stuff, I just make people argue. And that's just perfect for like the algorithms and everything. I would say this year, I've felt a lot more support because the three years prior to this has just been because I've been at the back in the worst car. Like the only media attention I get is when I say something slightly sceptical on the radio. Okay, and then they just clip it and it just goes viral because it's me shouting."

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