Racing fans excited about prospective Montreal Formula E race - Action News
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Montreal

Racing fans excited about prospective Montreal Formula E race

They may be more zip than thunder, but at 225 kilometres an hour, adrenaline junkies wont be disappointed by Formula E.

Montreal mayor says he wants race in town before 375th anniversary

Formula E cars can reach speeds of up to 225 km/h. (Barry Huang/Reuters)

They may be more zip than thunder, but at 225 km/h, adrenaline junkies won't be disappointed by Formula E.

The high-tech race cars could soon be coming to the streets of Montreal if a potential deal with the International Automobile Federation (FIA), announced this week by Mayor Denis Coderre, goes through.

"It's very, very good news and there is an extremely effervescent and passionate fan base here for autoracing, in all forms," sports show host Piero Facchin told CBC's Daybreak.

Formula E's inaugural season started in Beijing in September 2014 and runs until this June.

On Tuesday,Coderre announced that he had entered into informal talks with the federation to host a Formula E race in Montreal earlier.

"I tell you it will happen," Coderre said at a news conference.

"There will be the Formula E in Montreal. I'm aiming for September 2016 as a big rehearsal for Montreal's 375th anniversary."

Officials with Formula E say nothing has been officially confirmed.

"We are in talks with many cities for the coming seasons but the calendar for Season 2 will be submitted to [the]FIA World Motor Sport Council next July," Luca Colajanni, spokesperson for FIAFormula E, said in an email response.

Quiet engines

People who are worried that the race, which is expected to run through the heart of downtown,may be too noisy, need not fear,Facchin said.

"People that are, say, allergic to the noise of Formula 1 will enjoy Formula E because all you'll hear is a zipping sound," he said.

Even Formula One engines are starting to use hybrid technology to combine electric engines with mechanical engines to quieten race cars' powerful buzz, he said.

While sports car fans who love the sound of a roaring engine may not be as excited about Formula E, Facchin said car enthusiasts will be attracted to the speedy cars and the racing components of the event.