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A22 sports
Tuesday 1 augusT 2017

Formula E sees brighter future as Mercedes, Porsche sign up

By JEROME PUGMIRE names, including actor
AP Sports Writer Leonardo DiCaprio, an in-
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — vestor in FE and a member
Overtaking looks far away of its sustainability commit-
but Formula E is gradually tee. Those are plus points.
entering the slipstream of But can Formula E become
its older and faster rival For- exciting to watch? “I don’t
mula 1 after getting a ma- have a strong opinion be-
jor boost from Mercedes cause I never saw the real
and Porsche. car,” two-time F1 cham-
Ahead of the Formula E pion Fernando Alonso said.
series ending this weekend “They race in the best cities
in Montreal, Canada, the in the world and they are
two traditional racing gi- promoting this Formula E in
ants have announced that a very good way. It’s clear
they will compete in the it’s attractive for some of
series from 2019. It is a sign the big manufacturers, as
that Formula E — that’s E Mercedes showed.”
for Electric — will continue Nico Hulkenberg, a Ger-
to gain in popularity, espe- man driver with the F1 Re-
cially if it gets quicker and A Sunday, July 16, 2017, file photo of Formula E racers entering Turns 3 and 4 during the final day nault team, says “I’ve nev-
of the New York City ePrix all-electric auto race in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
more exciting. Associated Press er been to a race or seen
Jean Todt, president of mo- technology to a new audi- against Jaguar and Re- er is Swiss driver Sebastien the car,” but adds that it
torsport’s governing body, ence.” nault. “If somebody told Buemi, who never placed “will be interesting to see
FIA, calls Formula E “a rel- GREEN AND QUIET me when we started this above seventh in a 55-race where it goes in the next
evant laboratory for de- Formula E has environmen- project five years ago, that F1 career. Second-placed couple of years.” Formula
veloping electric vehicle tally friendly cars and is qui- we’d be announcing a Lucas di Grassi’s F1 career E reaches speeds of 140
technologies,” that offers eter than the ear-splitting, partnership with a brand lasted one season with a mph (227 kph), compared
innovative prospects for fuel-guzzling F1 engines. An like Porsche, I wouldn’t best result of 14th . to 230 mph (373 kph) in F1.
the future of car racing. FE car is 80 decibels com- have believed it,” said Ale- German veteran Nick The quiet aspect, too, is al-
Mercedes, which has won pared to about 130 for an jandro Agag, the founder Heidfeld, sixth in the stand- most the opposite of what
the last three drivers’ and F1 car. Its innovative driving and chief executive officer ings, enjoyed a decent F1 fans have wanted roaring
constructors’ champion- concepts come without of Formula E. career — with 13 podium racing to be.
ships in F1, is enthusiastic F1’s carbon emissions. DRIVERS THE KEY finishes — but at 40 years The visual aspect is not
about joining in. The series runs on fully elec- Todt and Agag began For- old is no longer in his prime. helped by the fact drivers
“Formula E is like an excit- tric cars and, right now, is mula E in 2014, with a race Behind him, Frenchman swap cars mid-race, simply
ing start-up venture, it offers hardly electrifying to watch around the grounds of Jean-Eric Vergne’s F1 ca- because the batteries run
a brand new format, com- and far slower than F1. That Olympic Park in Beijing. reer lasted 58 races for Toro out and need to recharge.
bining racing with a strong hasn’t put off Porsche and There will be an increase Rosso with a best of sixth. But that could change as
event character, in order to Mercedes. to 12 teams competing in Then there’s Nelson Piquet technology improves.
promote current and future Four days earlier, Mercedes 2019, compared to 10 cur- Jr. — the son of three-time SPEED UP
technologies,” Mercedes said it was quitting the DTM rently in F1. Andretti For- F1 champion Nelson Pi- Formula E remains a grow-
head of motorsports Toto touring car series to com- mula E and Faraday Future quet — who had an under- ing market and there is
Wolff said. “Electrification is pete in Formula E, also in Dragon Racing are the whelming two-year spell room for potential, once
happening in the road car the 2019-20 campaign. American teams in the se- with Renault in F1. some issues are improved,
world and Formula E offers Porsche and Mercedes will ries, but there are no Ameri- ‘E’ FOR EXCITING? according to Red Bull’s F1
manufacturers an interest- get the chance to race can drivers this season. Great locations, great teen star Max Verstappen.
ing platform to bring this “It can be a bit faster ... q
against each other, and The current Formula E lead- sights and some famous
Rudisha withdraws from world championships with thigh injury

Associated Press week, but Kenyan team of- by a photo of his injured leg
By MUTWIRI MUTUOTA ficials gave Rudisha as long with strapping on it.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — as possible to see if there The 28-year-old Kenyan
Olympic 800-meter cham- was any chance of him re- was set to return to the
pion and world-record covering in time to defend scene of his greatest tri-
holder David Rudisha with- his world title. The team umph, when he won Olym-
drew from the world cham- leaves for London on Tues- pic gold and broke his own
pionships on Monday after day. “The injury occurred world record in a breath-
straining a thigh muscle in a in the last 200 meters of my taking, wire-to-wire victory
training session in Kenya. last training session,” Rudi- at the 2012 London Games.
The double world and sha said. “I’m disappointed Rudisha’s time of 1 minute,
Olympic champion said an for not defending my title 40.91 seconds was the first
MRI scan on the right-leg and running for my coun- time anyone had gone un-
injury showed it would not try but I have to focus on der 1:41 in the 800.
heal in time for the cham- recovery to prolong my ca- Rudisha retained his Olym-
pionships, which open at reer.” Rudisha announced In this Monday, Aug. 15, 2016 file photo, Kenya’s David Lekuta pic title at the Rio de Ja-
London’s 2012 Olympic his withdrawal on Twitter , Rudisha celebrates winning the men’s 800-meter final during neiro Games last year and
Stadium on Friday. The 800 saying it was “sad and the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the also claimed world cham-
heats are on Saturday. disappointing.” Rudisha’s Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. pionships gold in 2011 and
The injury happened last tweet was accompanied Associated Press 2015. q