Peloton-style racing is set to remain a feature in Formula E when the Gen4 era begins next season.
Formula E will undergo a major technical overhaul in the 2026-27 season, when the current machines are replaced by the more powerful Gen4 prototypes.
This shift will coincide with a new sporting format, details of which are yet to be confirmed, that will create significant differences between the duration of races in each double header.
While drivers expect to be able to push flat-out in short sprint-style races, it appears the feature-length races will continue to offer similar kind of action to what fans have become accustomed to with the current generation of cars.
“According to my understanding, there is a sprint race and a feature race, like in Formula 2,” Mahindra driver Nyck de Vries told Motorsport.com. “I think the naming hasn’t quite been defined yet, but in a sprint race, the saving element will be smaller, so you’re probably more rewarded with a good qualifying session.
“Then, the feature race is more in a peloton-style direction. I still think that that will be a feature that is transferable from Gen3 to Gen4.”
Dan Ticktun, Cupra Kiro
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Energy saving has always been a key component in Formula E, with drivers starting races without enough charge to reach the finish line. This forces them into heavy braking to regenerate energy, while lifting and coasting has also become common in the championship.
Although drivers have long accepted that some management is necessary, they have often criticised the extreme energy saving seen at times in Formula E.
Formula E stalwart Sebastien Buemi recently hit out at the “convoy” racing in the Berlin E-Prix after several drivers deliberately dropped the order to conserve energy, leading to the entire field getting bunched up together.
Edoardo Mortara echoed his team-mate de Vries’ opinion about racing in Formula E under Gen4 cars, but admitted it was hard to make an accurate prediction before the cars have run together on track.
“This is still something to be defined. I think that we started to look into these things,” the Switzerland-born driver told Motorsport.com. “It looks like it’s going to be actually quite similar.
“Some of the races, I think they call them the sprint races, will be probably a little bit more pushy. But I still believe that there will be some saving. A lot of things will have to be defined.”
Mortara also stressed that drivers spend the entire of the race focusing on energy saving, with the series requiring far more management compared to other championships.
“It’s only strategy. It’s only management,” he said. “No, this one is pushed to an extreme that you don’t have in the other championships.
“It’s tough for the people to understand what we’re doing. But I don’t know if more could be done to explain to them what actually is being done, I don’t know. But definitely, it’s not an easy championship.”
