After Formula E debut in Beijing, Hong Kong woos electric-car series
Formula E came to the streets of Beijing in its first ever race. And among the observers was Lawrence Yu, president of the Hong Kong Automobile Association, who is confident the series will come to the streets of Central next year.
Formula E, a Formula One-like motor-racing series that uses electric cars, came to the streets of Beijing in its first ever race yesterday.
And among the interested observers was Lawrence Yu Kam-kee, president of the Hong Kong Automobile Association, who is confident the series will come to the streets of Central next year.
Chinese fans packed the main grandstands around the emblematic "Bird's Nest" National Stadium that hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Some lined the track sides, carrying children on their shoulders as the futuristic whine of the cars sounded across the track, and techno music added to the atmosphere.
The cars, which can reach speeds of 225km/h, are powered solely by electricity, and Formula E organisers say it has received high-level support on the back of its green credentials.
After watching the race, Yu said he was going to try to seal a multi-year contract with organisers to bring a race to Hong Kong.
"I will be talking to Formula E tomorrow as we look ahead to next year's series. I want to find out how many years the race will be run in Hong Kong and also nail down the funding," he said.
Hong Kong was supposed to host one of the races in the inaugural calendar, but issues over the circuit in Central could not be resolved. Yu said he was now confident the race would go ahead in November next year.
"All that has been sorted out and hopefully we can soon confirm our plans. But I will be having wide-ranging discussions with the FIA [world motor-racing body] and Formula E people here in Beijing. We have a lot of items to talk about but I'm confident that we can bring the series to Hong Kong.
"It will be hugely beneficial, as we will have a race which will generate no air pollution or noise pollution and show everyone that electric cars can work in our city. We need clean air, and this is the future for motorsports."
Meanwhile, a spectacular crash at the last corner that ended leader Nicolas Prost's race and sent ex-F1 driver Nick Heidfeld flying into the fencing gave Brazil's Lucas di Grassi victory.
The Frenchman, son of four-time Formula One champion Alain Prost, led the gripping race until the final moments.
Bruno Senna - the nephew of the late Ayrton Senna, a huge rival of Alain Prost - suffered a miserable afternoon after the left side of his front axle appeared to give way after he collided with another car in the first lap.
"It is such a shame to see his car being lifted off the track," said one female fan. "Motorsport is not that popular in China yet, but a lot of people have heard of Ayrton Senna."
The Formula E series will see 10 races on street circuits around the world involving 20 drivers from 10 teams.
Alejandro Agag, the chief executive of the company behind the series, said the first race - and Prost's crash - proved that electric cars were safe.
"The most important thing today is to say that safety is always first … I don't think we can get a bigger crash [than] the one we got today," he said.
