Formula E: The world’s first electric car championship

Sporting Witness

Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Jr recalls taking part at the launch of Formula E in Beijing, China in 2014. It was the world’s first racing championship for electric cars.

The idea for the competition, going through some of the world’s most iconic cities, was written on the back of a napkin in 2011 by former FIA president Jean Todt and founder Alejandro Agag.

Nelson, a former Formula One competitor, tells Daniel Raza about the anticipation leading to the first race and some of the differences and difficulties drivers faced, throughout the inaugural season. The vehicles, which were all the same, had maximum speeds of around 200kmh.

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(Photo: Nelson Piquet Jr. Credit: Sam Bloxham/LAT Images via Getty Images)