Getty Image
Formula E, the all-electric motorsport World Championship, is returning to Miami, Florida, this weekend and will hold its first official E-Prix at Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium.
Ahead of the historic event, we were able to sit down with 2023 Formula E champion Jake Dennis of Andretti racing to break down the track and give his thoughts on the race.
Hey Jake, this is a new track for Fomula E, what are your thoughts on the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium?
It’s a new circuit for Formula E, so none of us have really particularly driven it. We’ve seen obviously Formula One race there and bringing the crowds. It’s obviously a new location for Formula E, so we’re excited. We’re racing in the Hard Rock, a little bit different to where we raced at last year in America. And yeah, I think it’s a really exciting new location, and hopefully we can really bring in a good crowd and try and show the American fans A little bit about what Formula E can produce.
Right now, I’m currently in the UK doing all of the simulator work, which is basically preparing you for the track as much as possible. So this is really giving you the indications of what to prepare for the most, what corners are the most challenging. So we do a lot of homework prior to the event. And then really, once you arrive at the circuit, it’s then fine-tuning. Unless you’re slow, you need to find some big solutions quickly and try to think outside the box. But there’s a lot of homework, what goes into prior each event to really try and maximize the efficiency once you’re at the event.
It’s going to be cold in Miami the weekend of the race, will that affect how you race?
No, not really. I think it affects the car more than anything, to be honest, really the tires. But generally, as long as it’s above freezing, then generally the tires are in a pretty good position to deal with most conditions. So yeah, from our side, it’s always better to be a little bit colder than it is, say, 35 degrees celsius. That is very hard for the car and the battery and the tires. So ultimately, I would like it to be a bit warmer in Miami, just for my personal feeling. But yeah, it’s a shame that you guys seem to be having a bit of some rain or some cold weather coming in.
This is a home race for Andretti racing, is there more pressure to perform because this is the team’s home base?
I think the team definitely try and add a bit more pressure to it. I think naturally, with it being our home race, there’s more activation going on. There’s more hype around the team. Ultimately, it is our home race, so the fans are a lot more attracted to our team. So you do feel the extra pressure to try and give it that extra little bit. But as soon as the lights go out or you put your helmet on for qualifying, it’s really like any other race, and you just try and approach it as you normally would. And then if you get a result at the end of the day as your home race, then it’s even better.
What are you looking forward to off the track in Miami?
I think the food in Miami is always very good. I’m staying out there until Wednesday. Just for me and my fiance, we always try and stay out in the good locations for a bit of a holiday. So yeah, I mean, food over there is always great. We’ve got some restaurants lined up. So yeah, I’m sure we’ll have a good time over there, staying in the One as well. So on South Beach, it should be quite good.
Formula E features all-electric cars. How do these cars differ from regular racing cars with combustible engines?
I think people underestimate that it’s still a racing car with four wheels and a steering wheel. You still need to drive this thing as quickly as you possibly can. And then qualifying is very much the same as any other single-seater combustion engine, where you try to drive the wheels off it. That’s ultimately what we’re paid to do. It’s really the racing, which I think is probably the biggest difference in comparison to Formula One, Formula Two, IndyCar, these types of things where for them, it’s very much they have enough fuel to basically get from A to B, and they don’t really have to worry too much about anything else.
Their biggest issue is probably tires, whereas for us, obviously, our biggest thing is regenerating enough energy back into the battery to be able to finish the race. And the organizers, the FIA, which is the Motor Sport Federation, they’re quite crafty and only give us 60 % of energy for each race. And then it’s up to us to figure out how we can generate 40 % back to basically finish the race. And then whoever does this the most efficiently, the quickest, generally wins the race.
But it’s a lot more action-packed, a lot more exciting. We’ve seen around about 600 overtakes in a single race before, whereas Formula One, they classify an exciting race around about 70 overtakes. So in that aspect, it’s a very different type of racing. A lot of action, a lot of wheel-to-wheel, a little bit like Nascar, how close they race to each other. And that’s exciting. So, yeah, very different.
What message do you have for racing fans in Miami who might want to check out Formula E?
I think ultimately, don’t judge a book by its cover. You need to really understand what Formula E is, and don’t judge it until we start racing. I think you’re going to see loads of overtaking, which is something which Miami Layout will create lots of. I think everyone loves to hear a V10 or a V12 engine screaming, but ultimately, those days have long gone now. So yeah, I think just enjoy the day. It will be super exciting. And I’m really hoping that Formula Re can put on a good show for, obviously, outside of the race as well. That’s down to us drivers to make a good race, but ultimately, the whole package needs to be great. And normally, Formula Re do a really good job of this, so it should be a great event.
Formula E’s 2026 Miami E-Prix will take place on January 31st, at the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium and will feature a live performance from global superstar Farruko.