Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag says Liberty Media has taken inspiration from Formula E for some of the innovations it has introduced to Formula One.
Following its takeover of the sport Liberty Media relaxed the restrictions on teams using social media and increased its own use of digital platforms. It is also seeking new venues for F1 to race at including possible city centre street races in Copenhagen, Denmark and Miami, USA.
Agag sees similarities with that approach and Formula E’s, which races exclusively on street circuits and embraced social media from the outset.
“They are copying many things we do,” Agag told City AM in an interview. “But it might be a coincidence.”
On Tuesday Formula E revealed its second-generation car which will be introduced for the 2018-19 season, the fifth running of the championship. Agag believes the sport could eventually become more popular than Formula One.
“In 20 years’ time, I don’t see anything bigger than Formula E,” he said. “Formula E will be the main motor sport championship because it is the championship that is connected to the industry.”
However Agag does not rule out the possibility of the two championships joining forces in the future. “Why not?” he said. “I think that we could become one and only.”
The fourth round of this 2017-18 Formula E season will take place in Santiago, Chile this weekend. The 12-race championship concludes in New York on July 15th.
2018 F1 season
- McLaren staff told us we were “totally crazy” to take Honda engines in 2018 – Tost
- ‘It doesn’t matter if we start last’: How Red Bull’s junior team aided Honda’s leap forward
- Honda’s jet division helped F1 engineers solve power unit problem
- McLaren Racing losses rise after Honda split
- Ricciardo: Baku “s***show” was Red Bull’s fault
Joao (@johnmilk)
1st February 2018, 10:54
I love Agag’s press conferences, he always says something and then backtracks immediately
“They are copying us” – “Unless it is a coincidence”
A few weeks ago he said FE was the future because it was electric, and then it came the inevitable “well unless the future isn’t electric”
Same thing here, FE will be the biggest, but we are open to work with our smaller brother F1
Lets be honest here, F1 embrace of social media is a natural evolution, that definitely came too late, but it is the world we live in, you want to reach to big audiences you have to be on social media, simple as that, everybody does it, no-one says they are being copied.
The industry is looking for automation, I don’t remember seeing the FE cars driving themselves. And how the industry powers the cars might as well be different in a few years time.
And we don’t need to be fooled by Agag’s comments on the street circuits, FE uses them because at the moment they are the only place where the cars look moderately quick. And F1 has a long history of street circuits.
I think FE would be better off if they focused on their thing, they have a new car that mostly would agree that looks good, the comparisons with F1 will only be bad, and diminish what it does is even worse. Ultimately if you ask anyone who is copying who, I would bet most would tell it is the most recent single seater, open cockpit and open wheels series not the one that has been around for ages. They might be the biggest thing in 20 years, but these comments are just annoying.
BasCB (@bascb)
1st February 2018, 14:41
I agree with your comment. Both the focus on bringing the racing closer to where many people are and being active on social media, youtube etc are things every sensible sport has been looking at how to achieve for at least 5-6 years now. That F1 is one of the last to follow suit is a relieve (good riddance Bernie) and was badly needed. It’s not copying FE, it’s just following the same trend.
And yeah, that FE car looks futuristic, just what I think FE should aspire to be. They should just focus on becoming the best FE it can be. And who knows what the future brings.
bull mello (@bullmello)
1st February 2018, 21:33
The increased social media implementation and usage across F1 is much more a result of the demise of the Bernie Ecclestone era than anything FE may or may not be doing. As already mentioned, any savvy corp is looking to use social media to its full advantage. Until more recently F1 was in the dark ages in that regard. When the fossil was excavated and removed to the museum a new age sprang forth.
FlatSix (@)
1st February 2018, 11:40
Things you did not invent one might add,…, MotoGP and WEC for example are way ahead of FE in that regards.
Ciaran (@ciaran)
1st February 2018, 12:08
I understand that FE/Agag have to be ambitious in how they appear to fans and the media, but they really do have too high an opinion of themselves. It’s pretty tiring watching them pretend they’re the titans of motorsport, when they’re struggling to retain viewership, amongst all the other problems Formula E has.
FlatSix (@)
1st February 2018, 12:39
@ciaran If we look at the UK alone,…
https://f1broadcasting.co/2017/07/31/a-detailed-analysis-of-formula-es-uk-viewing-figures-so-far/
BasCB (@bascb)
1st February 2018, 14:51
Thanks for bringing that into the discussion here @ciaran, @flatsix. Those viewer numbers do indeed show that FE should focus on doing it’S own thing and not try to compete with F1.
If it was on regularly during the winter, with a relatively predictable calendar, I am sure that many of us would tune in when there is little other racing to be had. That was the original intent, wasn’t it? Now they have over half of their races on F1 weekends where it will be hard to get all that motorsport viewing done when one has other things to do in life than watching motorsport.
f1alex (@f1alex)
1st February 2018, 12:21
I wouldn’t say street races are a Formula E innovation – they are literally the oldest form of race circuit there is! I understand the point he’s trying to make, but F1 was adding street races to the calendar long, long before Formula E existed.
Neil (@neilosjames)
1st February 2018, 12:22
No bad thing if they have copied a few good ideas… most businesses would ‘borrow’ an idea off a rival if they thought it would benefit them.
Though it’s also worth pointing out that FE borrowed quite a lot from F1 and other motorsports, so it’s hardly a one-way street.
MtlRacer (@mtlracer)
1st February 2018, 18:10
I wish everyone would stop trying to equate Formula E and Formula 1. The former is a slow spec series, more akin to Formula 2 than F1. The only reason they appear fast is the narrow tracks they choose to race on.
Jon (@johns23)
2nd February 2018, 0:06
The way F1 is heading maybe Formula E will take over motorsport. Thats not a good thing either
M.S. (@gentlemanfromwoking)
2nd February 2018, 0:38
Let’s hear from Mr. Agag again when all the FE teams will be constructing their own cars.
jim clark
3rd February 2018, 20:47
p-please notice me senpai! lol such comments from FE makes them look so insecure.