There was a time, way back when, when one of Germany’s major racing facilities was in the city of Berlin. The Automobil Verkehrs und Übungsstraße, which translated roughly as the Automobile Traffic and Training Road, was known as AVUS and provided a venue for racing competitions on public roads from 1921 onwards. In the 1930s they added fearsome banking at one end. This venue, which attracted crowds of up to 200,000, continued to be used until 1999, albeit with the banking being dismantled in the 1960s.
City racing remains popular in Germany, witnessed by the Norisring event last weekend in Nuremberg, which attracted as large a crowd for DTM as F1 did at the Nürburgring a week earlier…
Now the Formula E championship, still more than a year away from being launched, has just announced plans for a race in Berlin. The German capital will join Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles, Miami, Buenos Aires, Beijing, Rome, London as a Formula E venue.
There is more than a little irony in the announcement given that the German Grand Prix is struggling to survive; and the fact that German politicians have been threatening other EU states that German automakers could scale back on investment in countries that do not support weakened EU carbon emissions rules.
Nonetheless, it is worth reflecting on the fact that Formula E can find such a venue at a time when Formula 1 is struggling to make either Hockenheim or the Nürburgring work financially. Obviously the key factor is money, as cities have to pay a fraction of the fees required by F1 if they opt for FE (at least for the moment). The series also has the advantage of not having to worry about the screaming nimbys, who make loud, smelly racing such a problem in urban areas. The fact remains that all the trends point to the need to take racing to urban areas (or at least close to them) because young fans are no longer willing to go to inaccessible places were once their parents went.
Many in F1 believe that quiet, clean racing will never excite people in the way that loud, smelly racing does. It will be interesting to see if the numbers bear this out. The noise and the smells of Grand Prix racing are obviously part of the package, but one wonders with modern generations whether ease of access is more important and they will accept what some might call ersatz motorsport because it is easier to get to and free (for now).
The Formula E race in Berlin will be held in the city’s Tempelhof Park, which was once the main airport of the city. The planes have gone but the tarmac remains and the race will take place on the old apron in front of the terminal buildings.
The other point of interest is whether some of the Formula One teams will get into Formula E. The new series does provide the potential for expanding business and it is cost-capped…
joeblogsf1 
I must say that I am starting to get exited about the series. Sure its not F1, but that means it could be affordable. And teams like McLaren and Williams (others too?) work towards making the cars too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of them having a go at running cars, and it would be a good way for Red Bull to use some of their superfluous racing drivers too!
IF they could dabble in their regular racing drivers for home events, it could skyrocket and ironically, I see a future potential for creating that elusive breakaway series!
Seriously, my brother might be moving to Berlin soon, so that means a very realistic chance to go and see it live!
It will be interesting to see if Formula E can be a success. Some of the designs have serious aero features way in excess of F1.
What seems to have been missed in all the general hooha is that the track safety requirements of FE are (if not , then should be) the same as for F1. The speeds will be roughly the same, the acceleration, probably greater, as traction control is virtually a given.
This is obviously a huge outlay for all the cities hosting street races and will require roads shut etc not just for the race but for the setup and knock down of all the barriers tyres conveyor, belt, track signalling etc. I would not be surprised if some cities drop out once they understand the level of disruption.
I am sure that the cities involved know exactly what they will need to do.
Having flown to the old Tempelhof airport many times, this would appear to be a master stroke, it has good bus and rail services in the area and a lot of green friendly residents in easy travel distance. I think at this location it can be pulled off with minor disruption. Still a big lover of “the noise and the smells of Grand Prix racing” and not convinced about “quiet, clean racing”, but as Joe has said in the past I am a luddite! Maybe the audience as a Venn diagram turns out to not really overlap much with the F1 demographic, many of whom would not travel from Berlin for F1 but will go out for the weekend to Tempelhof! Throw some bands and a street party atmosphere in there and someone is showing up! Done right they will keep showing up!
I would have thought Williams (cash funding issues aside) would be the most logical given they are supplying the batteries.
I’m really interested to see how Formula E works out. On the atmosphere front, it clearly won’t have the same noise as other motorsport, but most other sports are pretty silent.
Given that the French haven’t got their own race (you’d think EDF would be keen to show of nuclear powered cars and PSA would be keen to build them) I might have to book myself a trip to Berlin.
Interesting to note that it’s a (northern hemisphere) winter season too.
Has anyone said where the London track will be? I’m quite pessimistic that it will actually happen here but would be great if it does.
Going fast is what does it. Noise is overrated…
Hmmmmmm…. really well aside from F1 V12’s, followed by V10’s and the V8’s today are not bad, I will challenge that comment with top fuel dragsters, the SR-71 (over 100 launches, never got old) and the Space shuttle (18 launches, never got old). Turn the sound off on the TV and see, just not the same and live is way better than TV!
I don’t like wearing things on my head. Some do, but I don’t. Not hats, and certainly not ear-protecting headsets at races. When I go to races, I must wear the latter or it actually hurts. I’d rather not have to do that.
I appreciate the sound of a nice engine as much as anybody. If I’m in the mood I can appreciate them much as a connoisseur might: wails, rumbles, purrs, etc. So, as you can see, I do get it.
But there *is* such a thing as “too much of a good thing”… and F1 is a perfect example of that. I would like it better if it wasn’t so painfully loud.
“The fact remains that all the trends point to the need to take racing to urban areas (or at least close to them) because young fans are no longer willing to go to inaccessible places were once their parents went.”
Considering the most successful music festivals – generally full of youth – tend to be the ones that tend to be in the middle of nowhere, is there much truth to this? Isn’t it just as likely that motor racing as a whole is potentially falling out of favour with younger generations?
Music and cars are different.
The point remains – the “younger generation” are still going to events that might be considered to be in the middle of nowhere; however these events are doing something to attract these audiences.
Maybe motorsport needs to learn from these events. Many categories – especially F1 – might be surprised to find out that there are larger audiences out there, if the sport cares enough to make an effort.
Discarding it because they are “different” is merely closing a door on potential opportunities because it doesn’t fit an accepted, and potentially incorrect, viewpoint.
If you look at the trends in rallying (rally cross) offroad events in stadiums and so on, IndyCar moving to streets etc the point is very clear.
Point taken with regards to Rallycross, but IndyCar are struggling everywhere that isn’t Indy, even with their street races.
Sure music and cars are different, that is why Fast and Furious has no musical sound track….. NOT! 😉 Beach boys may beg to differ too! Think it is down to packaging, the two can compliment very well and create an atmosphere
No, I think it is down to the fact that at country music festivals kids can do sex, drugs and rock and roll.
And they can’t do that at races..?
Actually music festivals are starting to transition towards more accessible venues. The camping at festivals is still a draw for a lot of people (me included) but it really does put a lot young people off especially as camping vacations seem to be starting to wane.
Look at all the recent Hyde Park concerts, only one day but people will happily spend all day there. Radio 1’s Big Weekend was in Hackney in 2012 and in the middle of Derry this year. Wireless last weekend was at the Olympic Park, I doubt anyone camped.
There’s a certain ‘type’ that will go to Glastonbury or Reading or Download, and lots of people go once and hate it.
Bringing motorsport closer to the masses is fantastic and possibly long overdue. And Formula E’s one-day format should make it viable. I’ll be in London for sure for FE, with my 7 year old in tow hopefully (who absolutely hated the noise at Brands Hatch a few weeks ago).
I generally disagree with your position that young people don’t like to go to inaccessible places for something they enjoy. For example, there are dozens of summer festivals and weekend concerts/campouts held in muddy fields far and wide across Europe and the U.S. that consistently draw tens of thousands of people to (sometimes literally) the middle of nowhere.
So I’d argue, instead – and as you have in the past – that F1 needs to work on making itself a desirable event. The F1 rocks events in Singapore, for example, could easily find an outlet at the ‘ring, given how many racing fans regularly spend and entire weekend getting drunk and partying for a 24hr or VLN race. Throw in a couple of music stages with mid-level acts and package deals for access to camping and the race, etc., and you’ve got a decent formula for larger crowds.
At any rate, as you’ve pointed out, there isn’t much room for anything else. Inner-city racing/circuits that haven’t already been established have a long uphill fight to garner support from the local population, even if returns on that investment are crystal clear in the form of visitors spending copious amounts of money. So we’re left to actively consider how to draw more people to the existing tracks, even if they’re not exactly easy to get to.
And, really, Joe, the Nurburgring is essentially the world-wide home of racing culture, a bonna-fide destination for anyone with a passion for fast cars and technical driving. If F1 can’t find a way to get bigger crowds there, it’s doomed.
2 years ago I’d have agreed that the smell and noise make the day – they still do to a point. But last weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed the electric Dyson Lola was one of only 3 or 4 cars (out of hundreds) that drew Oooohs and intakes of breath as it made its run. The reason, the sheer acceleration up the hill.
Very impressive.
Actually the whine and whirr of the electrics and the ‘whump-whump-whump’ of the air buffeting and leaving the body/wings of the car are quite cool as well.
Like very much.
Oh yes, overall it was third fastest up the hill of all the cars assembled.
I have to say that personally I like sound with my racing cars but, having said that, Paul Drayson’s electric-powered Lola was mighty impressive at Goodwood last weekend, so my mind is beginning to be opened. Perhaps others’ will too.
great to become aware that this type of racing welcomes people of all ages to enjoy a show while taking in the benefits of an urban core without damaging the Eco-system like the petrol powered billboards that currently promote, fund and are only welcome where frontier markets are ripe for profiting from their ignorance in my experience since 1974. .
With Andretti Motorsport a big IndyCar team has signed up for Formula E next year, surely such a high profile team is good news for the formula.