Chinese virus destroys Formula E business model

Alejandro Agag (L)

Formula E's entire business model is based on racing on street circuits in large cities where population density is high and fossil fuel powered car air pollution even higher. The idea was to bring clean-air electric motor propulsion to the people.

However, the Chinese virus has hit big cities hardest (so much for the concept of high density urban living with everyone using mass transit) as this pandemic, and any pandemic to follow, will spread like wildfire through the population due to close proximity and packed like sardines mass transit cars.

Unless we have a vaccine someday for the Chinese virus, racing in big cities will likely be banned.

Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag told Autosport it is very likely that FE will resume on permanent circuits and stage races behind closed doors.

Agag reckons FE could then continue to use purpose-built facilities for up to three years once the pandemic is over if citizens remain uneasy about large gatherings.

He told Autosport: "The truth is that we have to put first the health of the people and the health of the citizens in every city and so on.

"So as long as it's not completely safe to race in cities, we will not race in cities. But as long as we can race, we will race.

"So even if the DNA will not change – Formula E is for the city – as long as there are health reasons, everybody understands that we have to make an exception.

"That exception may last two months, hopefully. But it may last six months, it may last a year, it may last two years, it may last three years.

"I don't think in the worst case scenario this will last more than three years.

"Everybody will have been contagious, and then everybody will have immunity."