OT: Re: Unknown unknows. was Re: Why no Formula E?

[Chris Woods]

-- 
Chris Woods
CustomMade

On 2021-04-26 08:07, David Taylor wrote:
> On 25/04/2021 19:52, Andrew wrote:
>> A bit behind the times are we?
>> 
>> Pit stops haven't happened since season 4 following the introduction 
>> of
>> the Gen2 cars. Races are 45min + 1 lap with the same car.
> 
> That was a welcome improvement, but they are still stuck with too many
> gimmicks for me, "fan-boost", being able to drive over different bits
> of the track to get more energy, and so forth.  Seems more like dodgem
> racing at times!
> 
> The coverage is too variable.  One race it's live from the BBC studio
> (in London), anther it's listed as live (on the iPlayer) but it isn't.
> 
> The Extreme-E seems purer racing.
> 
>   https://www.extreme-e.com/

Yeah, agreed on the discontinuity of coverage, I'd prefer every round to 
have a full studio show. I think it's a combination of rights, 
scheduling and budget. At least we get everything, unlike some other 
countries' broadcasters.

The studio shows have come from Quay House in Salford. Round 3 (Rome) on 
the 10th came from a new VR set.
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09d68yc/formula-e-2021-round-three-rome-uninterrupted)

I personally enjoy the two Attack Modes per race rule, it adds another 
element of risk for the drivers - do they do a double-use and try to 
leapfrog to the front and hold on until the end? Do they conserve energy 
and wait until everyone else is struggling towards the end, then go for 
some overtakes? Or do they risk it in changeable weather conditions?

I also like some of the tech used for the programme. The attack mode 
floor arrows are a small element but they're being tracked and 
composited through 3D in real time using what's apparently a normal TV 
camera. At least in 2019 (and presumably still now) it was done with the 
Ncam product, which uses stereo tracking cameras that can track through 
free space, mounted on the main camera. I played with Ncam briefly in 
2019, it's clever tech.

The wider variety of camera angles is cool. Like IndyCar, we get 
Driver's Eye (very nice) and other shots you don't normally see in F1.

Extreme E also had some fabulous shots for Round 2, they have four 
drones I believe? They must be hexacopters or large quads with quality 
IS. Some of the shots they were getting were mighty impressive.

Unfortunately only four rounds for XE this year, and the format felt a 
little tentative and dragged a bit for the first weekend. Hopefully 
Round 2 will come out the gates swinging when they can revert to the 
original format. I'm looking forward to more WRX style rallycross 
frantic head to heads, not every race split with three cars and big gaps 
between sessions (necessitated due to the Saudi Arabia sand and dust: 
https://dirtfish.com/off-road/extreme-e/dust-concerns-force-major-extreme-e-format-change/ 
)

Next Extreme E is on the 29th: 
https://www.extreme-e.com/en/race-calendar

* this is a nice chase drone vid from a pre-season shoot if you don't 
mind his narration style - 
https://www.reddit.com/r/motorsports/comments/m82wdb/extreme_e_fpv_drone_pilot_commentates_over_shot/