Inside ETCR

This megastructure is the heart of the FIA ETCR paddock. Cars will head to the Energy Station to re-charge after each session while fans gather round to watch. The hydrogen generators can bring the cars from 10% to 90% charge in just under an hour, so they are ready to do battle again in no time.

In FIA ETCR, cars lined up side-by-side behind the supersized Cup Gate for the Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals, and Super Finals. Lights and panels will showcase the drivers and teams, counting down to the lights turning green. The gate then opens, unleashing the cars to fight wheel-to-wheel.

FIA ETCR features an event format like no other. Drivers are split into two Pools of six cars – Pool Fast and Pool Furious – in the Cup Draw. After a qualifying round, cars go head-to-head in a bid to secure the best starting position for the Super Final and win the King or Queen of the Weekend crown. There are no energy-saving tactics needed; the cars are pushed to their limit to showcase their high-performance credentials

A FIA ETCR car is a four-or-five door production car, powered by a common power unit and battery pack supplied by Magalec Propulsion and Williams Advanced Engineering. The electric motor provides 300kW continuous power and a peak of 500kW at 12000rpm. The car is rear-wheel-drive with a single gear. The battery has a capacity of 65kW at 800v and can charge from 10% to 90% in less than an hour.

The command centre for FIA ETCR Rounds; team representatives and drivers work together to help their teammates on-track. To add to the drama, the command units in the Hot Zone face each other, with rival teams passing information to their cars at the same time.

FIA ETCR competes on a variety of tracks. Permanent tracks differ in the wear and tear of the tarmac surface, while street circuits may feature changes in grip between public roads and race-ready sections. Each circuit will pose a different challenge and features changes in elevation, corner configurations, speeds and run-off areas.

A lap is a single, complete rotation of a circuit. Cars will complete a varying number of laps in each FIA ETCR Round, depending on the circuit. In Qualifying, drivers have two one-lap attempts to set their best time and secure an advantageous starting position in the Quarter Finals. Each Quarter Final and Semi-Final Battle lasts around 15 minutes, while the Super Finals are a maximum of 20 minutes in length.

There are two main stresses on the FIA ETCR tyres: the car is between 30-40% heavier than a typical touring car, and the immediate power torque at the starting gate. To reduce the number of raw materials and transportation needed, a single-spec all-weather treaded tyre has been designed by Goodyear for the series.

A Draw splits the FIA ETCR grid into two Pools of six cars – Pool Fast and Pool Furious. The Draw then determines the starting order for the Qualifying sessions of each Pool. Drivers from different Pools never meet on-track during an FIA ETCR event.

Split into two sessions for each Pool, drivers have two attempts to set their fastest time and determine their Quarter Final starting positions. Cars head out one-by-one for a single lap based on the starting order decided in the Draw.

Drivers ranked 1st to 3rd in Qualifying compete in Quarter Final Battle 1, while drivers in 4th to 6th contest Quarter Final Battle 2. Lining up side-by-side at the Cup Gate, competitors will have a maximum of 15 minutes to get ahead of their two rivals.

The Semi-Finals of each Pool determine the starting grid for the Super Finals. The top two drivers in Quarter Final Battle 1 go head-to-head with the top driver in Battle 2 for Semi-Final Battle 1. In Semi-Final Battle 2, the third place finisher of the first Quarter Final Battle competes against the second and third finishers of Battle 2.

FIA ETCR events culminate in two 20-minute Super Finals. This is the final chance to clinch the King or Queen of the Weekend crown. It is the first time during the weekend that all six cars in each Pool race will against each other.

The King or Queen of the Weekend is the top-scoring driver of the event from either Pool Fast or Pool Furious. The FIA ETCR podium is completed by the drivers with the second and third highest haul of points from the weekend.

An extra 200kW power boost that drivers can activate for up to 40 seconds per session to help facilitate an overtake on their rival or pull a gap to their closest competitors. Drivers are permitted to use Power Up in Free Practice, the Quarter Finals, the Semi-Finals, and the Super Finals.

FIA ETCR drivers compete for points all on-track sessions other than Free Practice. After each Qualifying, 15-12-9-6-3-0 points are distributed to the six competitors. Quarter Final 1 awards 20-15-10 points to drivers, while Quarter Final 2 yields 15-10-5 points. Drivers can take 25-20-15 points in Semi Final 1 or 20-15-10 points in Semi Final 2. The Super Finals is the final opportunity to score points, with 40-30-20-15-10-5 on offer. The points from the top two drivers in each round are combined and count towards the teams’ haul for that event.