With over 40 years of experience in motorsport, Brembo embraced the challenge of the future of automotive technology by competing in a championship that serves as an exclusive and groundbreaking laboratory for the study and experimentation of technologies applied to electric vehicles.
Brembo is the supplier of the entire braking system for all the single-seaters competing in the Formula E World Championship. The single-supplier agreement began in the 2018/19 season, which saw the launch of cars significantly more performance-oriented than its predecessor and, therefore, requiring braking components capable of matching the new performance levels.
The caliper is the crucial element of any braking system, and this principle also applies to Formula E: using a larger caliper just because it provides more braking power is a rookie mistake, as the caliper affects the unsprung weight, which in turn can degrade the overall performance of the car.
To strike the right balance between effectiveness, rigidity, and lightweight design, Brembo has developed a caliper specifically tailored for Formula E, different from those used in other categories.
The Formula E caliper is lighter in the areas less exposed to stress, giving it a dynamic and sporty aesthetic. The result is a 4-piston, monobloc, front caliper made from anodized aluminum, machined from a solid block. At the rear, a smaller caliper derived from other series is used, as hydraulic brakes at the rear are only engaged in emergency situations.
The front caliper combines 26mm and 28mm pistons and weighs less than 900g, while the rear caliper features two 30mm pistons and has a mass just over 400g.
The front brake discs are made of carbon and have been specifically developed to meet the needs of fully electric single-seaters. They have a diameter of 258mm and a thickness of 18mm. The rear discs are made of steel, with a diameter of 228mm and a thickness of 4mm.
To reduce overall weight for improved acceleration and handling, as well as to contain consumption and costs (one of the core principles of Formula E), and to eliminate transient thermal deformation, the front discs feature an aluminum bell with a bushing-mounted design.
A particular feature of the front discs is the complete lack of ventilation holes. This design choice stems from the fact that these cars use regenerative braking much more intensively than dissipative braking, meaning there is no need to create ventilation holes to keep operating temperatures in the correct range. Additionally, from an economic standpoint, the absence of holes helps reduce costs for teams competing in the electric category.
Pressure is transmitted to the braking system by a single-stage tandem master cylinder. This is a MC that houses two pistons—one primary and one secondary—arranged in series within a single cylinder. One piston acts on the front axle, while the other acts on the rear axle. Essentially, this design allows two master cylinders in one.
In combination with the carbon front discs, Formula E cars use carbon brake pads, specifically designed for their characteristics. The front pads are 15mm thick, while the rear sintered pads are 8mm thick—significantly thinner than those used in Formula 1.
Formula E represents an entirely new and exciting challenge for Brembo, as it faces, for the first time, the challenges of the most competitive championship dedicated to electric vehicles.
The top speed of the Formula E cars has increased from 225 km/h to 280 km/h, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h now taking less than 2.8 seconds, down from the previous 3 seconds.
This new era of electric single-seaters in Formula E required an advancement in braking systems as well. This is why Brembo developed a tailor-made, complete braking system specifically adapted for the electric racing category.