The Formula E race that took place in Cape Town this February has just won the Race of the Year title at the 2023 e-Formula Season Awards.
The event was a historic first for South Africa and the continent as a whole, as it was the first ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to ever be held on African soil, making the recent achievement that much more significant.
Years in the making
The all-electric Formula E (FE) is still relatively new compared to its long-running Formula 1 counterpart, as the race series only started nine years ago.
Even so, the Mother City was quick to jump on the bandwagon, as plans for the race to appear on local roads were already underway five years ago, involving efforts from local promoters, the Formula E organizers, and the City of Cape Town’s management, according to capetownetc.
The route snakes its way around the iconic Greenpoint Stadium with Sea Point Promenade in the foreground and Table Mountain looming in the background, making for one of the most scenic races of the season.
It was also deemed the fastest track on the FE calendar, involving a 2.94km-long track with 12 turns and several stretches where the 22 drivers were able to push their machines to the max.
The fastest lap of the day went to Maserati’s Maximilian Günther, who clocked in a time of 1 minute and 7.848 seconds. This works out to an average speed of 154km/h, qualifying this as the fastest average lap in the sport’s history.
The race was also a big success for Cape Town as a whole, generating more than R1 billion in economic activity, as a result being one of the largest events the city has hosted in the past decade.
The Seasonal Awards are decided based on a combination of fan voting, as well as a jury of curated motoring experts.
“The race of the year was the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix. Action, drama in the championship battle, and high-class racing – the vote of the public and jury was clear here,” said the organisers.
The London race was also well received and was considered the runner-up, while Berlin managed to claim third place in the best locations list.
Keyword: South African Formula E wins Race of the Year Award