Formula E has 'pretty cool' plan to replace car swaps

Formula E has a "pretty cool" plan to keep an element of strategy in races when mid-race car swaps are scrapped from the series for Season 5, according to CEO Alejandro Agag.

Formula E cars currently complete half a race on a full battery charge, meaning drivers must swap cars midway through, but this will be scrapped from Season 5 upon the introduction of the new, longer-lasting cars.

In order to keep an element of strategy in races, Agag does not wish to switch to a lights-to-flag event without any pit stops, but ruled out tyre changes as seen in Formula E.

"We discussed it actually, and with the FIA, I think we’re going to announce soon how it’s going to work for the race to keep the strategy element in it," Agag said.

"It is very important for TV and the product to have some kind of strategy in races. But it’s not going to be a tyre change, and it’s not going to be the message that Michelin wants to give about the tyre that lasts longer.

"We want to use less rubber, have less consumption, have less rolling resistance. The message was not consistent and everything we do must be consistent with our long-term view.

"We have something pretty cool lined up to make the races quite exciting."

The new-generation Formula E car has already completed on-track testing with positive findings, and will make its race debut in the winter of 2018.