Formula auto racing promises electric return to downtown

Formula auto racing promises electric return to downtown
Formula auto racing promises electric return to downtown
Admiring the sleek Qualcomm Formula E race car on display at the news conference are (l-r) Miami Commissioner Willy Gort, Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, Miami Commissioner Mark Sarnoff, Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag and Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau president/CEO Bill Talbert.

Formula auto racing will return to the streets of downtown Miami early next year, but residents will not be complaining about the noise because all the race cars will be powered by electric engines.

Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado convened a news conference, Oct. 20, on the shore of Biscayne Bay at the Perez Art Museum and told an overflow gathering of city and county officials, automotive media, civic leaders and downtown residents that the FIA Formula E Championship — the world’s first fully electric auto racing series — will stage one of 11 international races in Miami next year on Mar. 14.

The Miami e Prix, as it will be known, will be the fifth race in the inaugural Formula E season and the first of two events in the U.S. Other cities or countries on the e-calendar include Beijing, China; Malaysia; Uruguay; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Long Beach, California; Monte Carlo; Berlin, and London.

“We are proud to be among the elite group of international cities hosting the FIA Formula E Championship,” said Mayor Regalado. “This is a home run for the City of Miami.”

Though not attending the new conference, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez released a statement praising the deal to bring the electric auto races to Miami. “The FIA Miami ePrix is precisely the type of international event that will showcase Miami-Dade as a world-class destination,” Mayor Gimenezsaid .

The Miami e-Prix race course is laid out along both sides of Biscayne Boulevard and streets around the American Airlines Arena in an eight-turn, 1.62-mile, 30-lap circuit. All Formula E events will take place in one day to minimize disruption.

Formula auto racing promises electric return to downtown
Race course for the Miami ePrix.

“We’re delighted to officially unveil the circuit for the Miami ePrix,” said Alejandro Agag, Formula E CEO. “Having two races in the U.S. is very important to us with America’s rich motorsport heritage and the States being such an influential and burgeoning market for electric vehicles.”

Formula E is a new FIA championship racing series featuring Formula cars powered by electric energy. It represents a vision for the future of the automotive industry and will aid in further research and development of the electric vehicle.

The Miami race will be organized with Andretti Sports Marketing. For more information, go to www.fiaformulae.com.


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