J'AIME JUNE 2018

Life in the fast lane
M OTO R S
THIS MONTH J’AIME’S MOTORING CORRESPONDENT AND RESIDENT RACING DRIVER
MARTIN PLOWMAN ASKS “COULD FORMULA E BE COMING TO BIRMINGHAM IN 2019?”
FORMULA E IS IN ADVANCED
TALKS TO BRING MOTORSPORT
BACK TO BIRMINGHAM
Formula E is the first fully-electric form of
motorsport that has taken the world by storm since
its debut in 2014. Despite many doubters who felt
racing cars that sounded like juiced up remotecontrolled
cars would turn off true petrol-heads have
been proven wrong so far. Formula E has grown at
an exponential rate in the last four years and has
become a global force to be reckoned with.
The championship boasts 20 of the world’s best
drivers, participation by seven major manufacturers
including Audi, Renault and Jaguar Land Rover. It
travels to five different continents and 11 host cities.
Outside of Formula 1, it is quickly becoming one of
the world’s most prestigious racing championships.
As of the time of writing this, Birmingham is in
‘advanced talks’ with the organisers of Formula E to
host an event in 2019 and beyond, according to West
Midlands mayor Andy Street.
“Over the last year, we have been in negotiations
with the organisers of the FIA Formula E
Championship about bringing a road race to
Birmingham, effectively reviving the Super Prix,”
said Street. “We are now in the advanced stages of
these negotiations.”
Street explained that Birmingham wanted to
showcase its revamped city centre and also the
region’s position “as a world leader in the next
generation of automotive technologies. So much of
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