HOW SPEED INFLUENCES THE DURATION OF THE GP RACES
The difference in the duration of the races is also important. The Formula E cars race 45 minutes plus one lap while the Formula 1 single-seaters drive at least 300 km (186 miles). This translates into the Formula 1 cars being obligated to race anywhere from a minimum of 1 hour 16 minutes (race record set by Lewis Hamilton in Monza in 2018) up to a maximum of 2 hours, the establish time according to regulations.
Since the energy to be absorbed in braking is actually kinetic energy, vehicle speed at specific points on the track is a fundamental element in determining the size of the brakes. From this standpoint, Formula 1 dominates Formula E because its maximum speed is more than 360 km/h (224 mph), while the electric single-seaters only get up to 280 km/h (174 mph).
REDUCED THICKNESS WORKS FOR FORMULA E
Since its cars are so different from Formula 1 vehicles, Formula E asked for a custom braking system. Formula E cars have less braking force and spend less time braking in general since the races do not last as long, so there is less wear of the friction material (discs and pads).
This explains the reduced thickness of the Formula E carbon discs and pads. In the front the discs are 24 mm thick and the pads are 18 mm thick, while in the rear the discs are 20 mm thick and the pads are 16 mm thick. The Formula 1 measurements are decidedly higher: In the front the discs are 32 mm thick and the pads are 22 mm thick, while in the rear the discs range from 28 to 32 mm thick and the pads are 17 mm thick.
EARLY STAGES FOR VENTILATION IN FORMULA E
The thicker Formula 1 discs provide more space for the ventilation holes, which count about 1,400 holes on each 2.5 mm disc. Plus, the advanced research Brembo conducts on the aerodynamics of these cars enables the Company to customize the cooling design and satisfy the requests of each customer.
On the Formula E cars, on the other hand, there are about 70 ventilation holes on the front discs and 90 on the rear. The front discs are 6.2 mm in diameter and the rear discs are 4.2 mm. These same measurements were found on the Formula 1 discs up until 2007, which leads us to believe that within a decade, the number of holes on the Formula E discs will most likely be multiplied to coincide with a reduction in their size.