Enthusiasm and Hope for Racing at the Jakarta E-Prix

KOMPAS/DAHONO FITRIANTO

The Mercedes-EQ Formula E team prepares to participate in the preparation for the ABB Formula E FIA World Championship Jakarta E-Prix 2022 electric car race at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit, Ancol, North Jakarta, Friday (3/6/2022).

The Formula E race in Jakarta on Saturday provides a stage to show that Indonesia has emerged from the pandemic. The riders and the public were enthusiastic about welcoming this world-class race.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Despite previous pros and cons, the Formula E race at the Jakarta International Circuit E-Prix will be held on Saturday (4/6/2022). The leading world championship of electric car racing serves as a symbol of Indonesia's rise from the pandemic, which had brought the international race to a halt.

A total of 22 drivers, some of them Formula 1 racers, will compete at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit (JIEC) starting Saturday morning. Jakarta is replacing Cape Town, South Africa, which had cancelled the ninth Formula E race for the 2021-2022 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, Indonesia’s first opportunity of host the E-Prix was delayed two years.

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Although it has never been tested before, the track, which was under construction for two months, is considered ready to hold the first formula car race in the country in the last 16 years – or since the A1 Grand Prix in Sentul in 2006.

“Jakarta is ready. We have been waiting for this moment since 2019," said Formula E chief champion officer Alberto Longo on Friday (3/6).

A similar statement was made by the chairperson of the Jakarta E-Prix organizing committee, Ahmad Sahroni.

“Everything, so far, is ready. The only thing left is the event tomorrow," said Sahroni.

According to the committee, enthusiasm for watching the race is high. Tickets sold out a few days before. Some ticket buyers were even foreigners.

“I was moved because this is something that people thought would never happen. This is a fact that proves that Indonesia is able to carry out world motorsport events, such as Formula E. Hopefully, this is a step for Indonesia to rise from the pandemic," added Sahroni.

“This is a car race with the spirit of environmental sustainability. Therefore, the effect is not only economic but also ecological," said Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.

KOMPAS

The Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan attended the meet and greet event with Formula E drivers in Jakarta Thursday (2/6/2022).

Anies hopes that the presence of Formula E can familiarize people with the use of environmentally friendly vehicles, especially in Jakarta. He said the greenhouse effect in Jakarta would be reduced by 30 percent by 2030.

"Thank God, we have reduced it by 26 percent," he said.

Pretty good

On Friday, the racers and 11 participating teams did a shakedown test and a track walk to get to know the JIEC better. Previously, the drivers had only used simulators to study the circuit.

“Learning the track in a simulator is different than trying it on the spot. However, I think this track is quite good because the straights are not too long and the corners are not too short. Of course, there are a few bumpy and dusty tracks, but that's not a problem for me,” said Mitch Evans, a Jaguar TCS Racing driver, who was met at his garage on Friday.

Rokit Venturi Racing team driver Lucas di Grassi said the JIEC was a complete circuit to test racing techniques.

Other racers were also curious and couldn’t wait to drive their cars on the 2.4-kilometer circuit, whose track design resembles kuda lumping (woven bamboo in the form of a horse). Rokit Venturi Racing team driver Lucas di Grassi said the JIEC was a complete circuit to test racing techniques.

“This circuit has a good mix of low, medium and high speed corners. It will test every aspect of the car's performance. This circuit is very tight, technical and reflects Formula E," said Di Grassi, who has raced in Formula 1 as well.

As Di Grassi said, the JIEC has a lot of turns that demand driving skill. In addition to speeding up the race, the turns are also useful for regenerating battery power in the car when braking. Unlike in F1, Formula E cars use completely renewable energy with minimal carbon emissions, namely electricity.

KOMPAS/DAHONO FITRIANTO

The Mercedes-EQ Formula E team is taking part in the ABB Formula E FIA World Championship Jakarta E-Prix 2022 electric car race at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit, Ancol, North Jakarta, Friday (3/6/2022).

Nowadays, any second-generation Formula E car can be driven for 45 minutes on the track. Without emitting pollution, either air or sound, the electric car can be driven up to 280 kilometers per hour. The race is also regularly held in big cities to campaign for environmentally friendly energy.

Hot weather

The E-Prix race in Jakarta presents a tough challenge, both for the committee, Formula E and participants. The challenge in question is related to the hot weather, which the teams are very wary of.

Chris Shortt, Operations Manager for Jaguar TCS Racing, said that all teams needed to pay attention to the hot weather in Jakarta, from the qualifying session to the race, this Saturday. Jakarta is considered the hottest city to have held a Formula E race yet.

“We have to be careful with the battery because it can't endure overheating. Like the battery in a cellphone, when

it gets too hot, it will interfere with the performance of the car," said Shortt.

KOMPAS/DAHONO FITRIANTO

Mercedes-EQ Formula E racer from Belgium, Stoffel Vandoorne during a press conference ahead of the preparation for the Formula E electric car race ABB Formula E FIA World Championship Jakarta E-Prix 2022 at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit, Ancol, North Jakarta, Friday (3 /6/2022).

Stoffel Vandoorne, the Mercedes EQ driver who tops the drivers' standings, acknowledged that the weather was the biggest challenge, in addition to the lack of data about the new track. Weather and high humidity affect the rider's physical condition, the asphalt and the tire wear rate. In fact, Formula E does not use pit stops to change tires in the middle of a race like in F1.

According to Sahroni, it will be proposed that subsequent races in hot climates be held at night to solve this issue. (SAN/DHF/VAN/HLN)

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo)