Exclusive: Formula E pit stops return set for ‘do-or-die’ moment

Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds has agreed that Thursday afternoon’s pre-season mock-race could be the “do-or-die” moment for the official introduction of attack charge in the Gen3 era. 

Since the start of the Gen3 era in 2022, the all-electric series has been working around the clock to introduce attack charge, in what would see a return of pit stops. 

Pit stops have not been a feature since swapping cars was required in Gen1, with the pit lane only used now during a race for repairs. 

Several setbacks have delayed attack charge – a boost of energy which sees each car plugged-in for approximately 30 seconds – from featuring in an E-Prix. 

Attack charge will feature in Thursday’s mock-race, which will play a significant role in deciding whether it is introduced at some rounds this season. 

Should the concept fail then teams will likely push back against it, with FE senior figures being hopeful that attack charge works close to perfection.

When asked by RacingNews365 if the mock-race was do-or-die for the attack charge concept, Dodds’ answer took a fascinating twist.

“It’s maybe not quite as… actually, maybe it is,” considered Dodds. “I say maybe it’s not quite [do-or-die], maybe it is. 

“I think if we see tomorrow something that doesn’t work well, if there are failures in the technology which I don’t believe there’ll be, if there are problems with the deployment of the additional power and it doesn’t happen in Season 11, then you’ve only got one season left in the Gen3 era and then you’re into Gen 4.

“So maybe that would be a death nail for it in Gen3. However, if it works well tomorrow, or it’s very close to working well and it’s more administrative issues, or kind of operational issues, not technical ones, I think it gets its chance to shine in Season 11.”

FE’s ambition with attack charge in Season 11 is to introduce it at a double-header event. The idea behind this is for one of the two races across the E-prix to include the feature.

“I think we’ve said publicly, or Alberto [Longo] certainly has said, it’s a great option for shaking up a double-header weekend.

“Because then you have a very different sporting format. If you introduce it on one day in the double-header, then you have two very different types of race, different strategies, different viewing spectacles. So I’m really, I’m really excited by it.”