Twitter Facebook Youtube

#FanBoostWeek: false information in Beijing and Putrajaya

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The first two ePrix of this season have been exciting yet sparked some confusion among hardcore fans. NEXTEV TCR’s Nelson Piquet Jr was shown to use FanBoost twice in both the Beijing and the Putrajaya ePrix.

FanBoost is the main point of criticism in this year’s Formula E season but controversy doesn’t only revolve around the actual allocation of the votes. The season starter in Beijing saw both NEXTEV TCR drivers Nelson Piquet Jr and Oliver Turvey winning the extra boost alongside DS Virgin Racing star Sam Bird. Confusion was caused as the reigning champion Piquet Jr was shown to use FanBoost on lap 7 when he was still in his first car.

FanBoost underwent a lot of changes this season with one of them being that each of the three drivers with the boost is only allowed to use it once in their second car. Article 37.4b of the Sporting Regulations states: “FanBoost to be used is limited to an extra energy of maximum 100 kJ (power min. 180 kW, max. 200 kW, and time to be managed by the team). The winning drivers will be allocated one boost for the second car only, to be used once.

As the series didn’t address the problem at hand, the question remained whether Piquet Jr used FanBoost incorrectly or whether the TV graphics provided simply illustrated false information. Yet Beijing was not the only ePrix that caused more questions than it answered. Once again Piquet Jr was shown to use FanBoost twice, this time in his second car, in Putrajaya. The fact that the issue only concerned the reigning champion led to the assumption that an error on Piquet Jr’s car caused the host broadcasters to think the NEXTEV driver was using FanBoost.

From left to right: Nelson Piquet Jr using FanBoost in Beijing and Putrajaya.

From left to right: Nelson Piquet Jr using FanBoost in Beijing and Putrajaya. © Youtube/ FIA Formula E

Following a series of investigations, an official Formula E spokesman confirmed to e-racing.net: “Fans can give their favourite driver an extra speed boost by voting for them both prior to and during the opening six minutes of the race. The three winning drivers receive an additional 100kJ of energy in their second car only to be used in a power window of 180kW and 200kW. During the Putrajaya ePrix there was a power level reading error on Nelson Piquet’s car which led to the host broadcaster initiating the FanBoost on-screen graphic. When deploying FanBoost it can only be used once, a series of short bursts is not possible.

While the issue has only be addressed concerning the Putrajaya ePrix, it can be assumed that the same issue caused the false TV graphics in Beijing. The following ePrix in Punta del Este on 19 December, 2015 will show whether the team is able to fix the error on Piquet Jr’s car.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Image courtesy of Rajan Jangda

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

About Antonia Grzelak
Toni is the founder and CEO of e-racing.net. Apart from taking care of management and marketing, she acts as the editor-in-chief and is responsible for ERN's content strategy. Furthermore, she is our very own caffeine addict and is barely ever seen without a huge coffee mug in her hand.