Fast, furious and…electric? It’s the Formula E Miami ePrix

Imagine race cars topping exhilarating speeds of up to 140 miles per hour as they hug corners and shoot through the straightaways along downtown Miami‘s Biscayne Boulevard. Race cars in the city? Yes, it’s really happening this spring, March 14, 2015.

Photo courtesy of Virgin Racing

Forget suburban stadiums with the traditional oval-shaped tracks; the FIA Formula E Miami ePrix is about real race cars on a hot pursuit weaving around skyscrapers and American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat. Let’s just hope the killer views of the aquamarine water and party-style tropical atmosphere don’t distract the drivers.

Formula E teams are scheduled to take over two urban American cities: Miami and LA. It’s all part of a 10-city race circuit that kicked off in Beijing for the first Formula E race in the series last fall. So far 10 teams have competed around the world, including the inaugural race in China, followed by circuits in Malaysia,Uruguay and Argentina.

The first American city on the list, Miami, is up next. For a whopping 39 laps, drivers will loop around American Airlines Arena and Biscayne Boulevard between NE Sixth and NE 12th streets. And a 12-foot barrier spanning the route is already in place.

Map courtesy of FIA Formula E

“We are proud to welcome the Formula E races to downtown Miami,” said Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO WilliamD. Talbert, III. “Miami and The Beaches is an international events town hosting some of the world’s most high-profile sporting events. We are honored to be selected as one of the ten global cities for this exciting series and no doubt Miami’s stunning downtown skyline on Biscayne Bay will serve as a magical backdrop.”

The LA competition follows in Long Beach on April 4. Then teams head back across the pond to Monte Carlo, Berlin and Moscow. The grand finale happens in London this summer.

So what exactly is Formula E?

We mentioned that they’re fast cars and can gain excessive speeds, especially considering the fact that they’ll be zooming down urban city centers. But what makes these high-powered automobiles stand out from other race cars? They don’t take a drop of gasoline. They’re purely electric powered.

Photo courtesy of Virgin Racing

Now before you dismiss these high-wattage machines as peaceful green tree-huggers on wheels, you should know that the element of danger is still a major risk. In fact, the race in Beijing ended with a spectacular crash. On the last lap, driver Nicolas Prost (team E.Dams-Renault) clipped Nick Heidfeld (team Venturi) as he tried to pass on the inside. Heidfeld’s car went flying up a barrier, managed two tight pirouette-style flips and shattered on the ground. Then the two Nicks nearly duked it out in a fistfight on the street. Thankfully both were unharmed, but as you can see, no gasoline doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of high-octane danger.

Another bonus: Much like polo players, the Formula E drivers all seem to be pretty easy on the eyes. You’ll definitely swoon over Richard Branson’s Virgin Racing team: Jaime Alguersuari and Sam Bird. Not only is the duo good-looking, they can handle their race cars with a cunning fervor.

At 19, Jaime was the youngest Formula 1 driver in history to start a Grand Prix. Also sporting an alter-ego, at night Jaime turns into quite the superstar DJ, playing gigs from Ibiza to London. While he’ll probably be too busy to spin at any South Beach clubs while he’s in town for the race, maybe we can convince him to come back for a show in the offseason.

Virgin Racing driver Jaime Alguersuari

An Englishman with an impressive racing resume, Sam Bird has quite the track record: Formula BMW, Formula Renault, Formula Three, GP2, Formula 1 reserve driver for Mercedes, FIA World Endurance Championship for Ferrari — and now Formula E for Virgin Racing. A fitness buff with a penchant for the outdoors, Sam loves to workout and he’s into everything from running and cycling to weightlifting and playing rugby.

Virgin Racing driver Sam Bird

Leading up to the competition in Miami, Virgin Racing gave us insider access to this dynamic duo :

Q: Have you two been to Miami before? What’s on your must-see list?

Jaime: I’ve never been to Miami and I’m really looking forward to going for a run on the beach. To spend some time in a t-shirt and shorts is going to be great too because it’s so cold in London. So right now, I’m looking forward to experiencing what the city of Miami has to offer in the sun.

Sam: I haven’t been to Miami before either, but I’m really looking forward to going and it’s great that Formula E is visiting the East Coast in the first season of the championship. There’s so much to do in Miami and I’m looking forward to experiencing the local atmosphere. I’ve heard there’s a really positive vibe in the city.

Q: Racing through a major city at high speeds must be exhilarating. What does it feel like?

Jaime: It’s the best feeling. You feel so close to the walls and driving to the limit in such a small space makes it quite challenging. It’s crazy to think that these are the streets that the public drives down every day and we will be speeding down them as a race track.

Sam: Racing on street circuits is exhilarating, that’s for sure. The feeling of a conventional circuit is amplified on a street circuit as you know that one mistake can mean the end of your race, which is intense. I’ve had a lot of success on street circuits though and they are incredible to race on.

Q: One of the most interesting aspects of the Formula E cars is the fact that they don’t use gasoline. Why do you think it’s important to encourage everyday drivers to consider using electric cars?

Jaime: We need to start actually looking after this planet because we haven’t taken care of it and it’s probably about time we did. We all need to stand up to the fact that we are harming our environment and positive changes we can make now will have a huge impact on the future. Electric cars are the way forward and I’m certain of that, so to be able to be a part of their development is really important to me.

Sam: Formula E is great for the environment, for our health and for the future of our world. We need to go green, there is no doubt about it and for me it is really important that we make these changes quickly to look after our environment. We are constantly learning more about electric car technology and Formula E is a huge part of that, so for me it’s great to be involved in what is building our future.

Photo courtesy of Virgin Racing

For more info about Formula E, including details about the races in Miami and LA, check out fiaformulae.com and follow all the action on Twitter: @FIAFormulaE.

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