Jaguar Formula E team principal James Barclay has expressed concerns over the evolving style of racing in Formula E, blaming Nick Cassidy’s crash in the Sao Paulo Eprix on the peloton-like racing dynamics.
Barclay pointed to the introduction of the Gen3 car at the start of last season, which has led to Formula E races becoming incredibly close. The need for energy regeneration to preserve battery life until the end of the race has prompted many drivers to adopt a strategy of slipstreaming behind rivals, creating a peloton effect reminiscent of road cycle racing.
Cassidy’s crash during Saturday’s eprix, caused by his front wing breaking off and jamming under his front axle after earlier contact with Edoardo Mortara, highlighted the risks associated with this style of racing, according to Barclay.
While acknowledging Cassidy’s safety as the top priority and expressing frustration for the team, Barclay emphasized the need to address the peloton-style racing, which he described as “starting to get a bit silly.” He highlighted the challenges posed by the extreme nature of this racing style, where maintaining momentum into corners becomes difficult and frequent stops occur, leading to a high risk of accidents.
Despite the setback, Barclay expressed satisfaction with Mitch Evans’ podium finish, although Evans himself described his second-place finish as “bittersweet” due to a battery de-rate issue that cost him victory on the final lap battle against McLaren’s Sam Bird.
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