Formula E: How the virtual world breeds real-life success

Razor-sharp reflexes, stamina and guts have always been essential qualities in racing champions – but these days it also pays to be a dab hand at computer games.

State-of-the-art race simulators have become an indispensable tool in modern motorsport offering drivers valuable insights into a circuit’s corners, straights and even its camber ahead of race weekends.

The worth of these virtual worlds is multiplied in Formula E where almost all races take place on temporary city center tracks like Buenos Aires’ Puerto Madero Street Circuit – host to round three of the 2016-17 world championship on February 18.

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“Testing is very limited in Formula E,” Lucas di Grassi told CNN’s Supercharged show. “How do you prepare for something that you haven’t been to for a year … or a track that is completely new on the calendar like Hong Kong?

“You can’t just take a car and drive up and down the roads at 200 kph!”

Di Grassi, a driver for the German team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, uses a simulator at AVL, an automotive technology company based in Graz, Austria.

“We try to give the driver the feeling of the car – the steering and acceleration forces – as much as possible to get the right feedback and the right predictions for the track,” explains Gerhard Schagerl, AVL’s manager of race engineering.

“It’s not only the hardware, it’s the software, the graphics, the sound, the physics – all these highly developed (mathematical) models.

“This is not off-the-shelf technology,” adds Schagerl, who estimates the AVL simulator’s worth at €1 million ($1.1 million).

“You really need to develop this for every new racing class and for very specific customers. A lot of engineering goes into it.”

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Updated 10:52 AM EST, Thu February 16, 2017

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02:37 - Source: CNN

Each ePrix track is scanned with remote sensing technology called LIDAR which uses laser pulses to precisely map the surrounding terrain.

“It’s no expense spared,” DS Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird told CNN at last month’s Vegas eRace. “It needs to be as close to reality as possible otherwise we don’t get the energy figures that we need.”

Bird's DS Virgin Racing teammate Jose Maria Lopez learning the Buenos Aires ePrix track.

Bird highlights an important function of the simulator – in Formula E, the emphasis is not only on track learning but managing the car’s battery power during the course of an ePrix.

“In Formula E specifically, the battery, the electric motor and power electronics are modeled in a computer program to help drivers prepare for a race,” Schagerl explains.

For electric racers like Bird and Di Grassi the simulators are indispensable bits of kit, enabling them to push the limits safety before heading out onto the real track where there is little margin for error.

ELEXTRA —

Boasting a 0-60 mph acceleration of 2.3 seconds, the ELEXTRA supercar will rank alongside the fastest electric vehicles in the world.

ELEXTRA —

The Swiss-designed concept car will have a range of 600 kilometers (372 miles) and a top speed limited to 250 kph (155 mph) according to its creators, Classic Factory.

ELEXTRA —

Classic Factory specialize in automotive and industrial design. CEO Robert Palm says a production car will cost around $500,000 (before tax) but won't be available before 2019.

"The idea behind ELEXTRA is to combine pure lines reminding of the most exciting Italian super cars of the past, whilst being resolutely forward looking thanks to its low, sleek and beautiful design, paired with today's most advanced technology," Palm says.

The all-electric NIO EP9 is the fastest road-legal car ever to take to the Nürburgring.

Boasting a top speed of 194mph (313kph) and 1-megawatt of power (equivalent to 1342 BHP), the NIO EP9 may just be the fastest electric car on the planet.

Dendrobium —

The Dendrobium 'hypercar' made its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show in March.

Dendrobium —

The all-electric car has been created by Singapore-based Vanda Electrics with technological input from UK-based Williams Advanced Engineering.

Dendrobium —

Williams Advanced Engineering is a technological division of the Williams Group which is most famous for its Formula One team. Co-founded by Frank Williams in 1977, the team, now run by Williams' daughter, Claire, has won nine constructors' titles during four decades in F1.

Williams Advanced Engineering also provide the batteries that power Formula E cars. You can watch a CNN interview with Williams Advanced Engineering's operations manager Gary Ekerold here: Powering a Formula E race.

Dendrobium —

The Dendrobium boasts a top speed in excess of 200 mph and a 0-60 mph acceration of 2.7 seconds, according to Vanda Electrics.

Faraday Future's FF91 —

Back In January, California-based Faraday Future revealed its new FF91 model at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Faraday Future's FF91 —

CNN's Supercharged show was given a tour of the all-electric car by its chief designer Richard Kim and an exclusive peak at the interior.

Watch: Inside the FF91

Faraday Future's FF91 —

The FF91 is billed as the fastest electric production car in the world, going from 0-60 mph in 2.39 seconds, marginally quicker than the Tesla S which clocks 2.5 seconds in the same test.

READ: FF91 blends speed, luxury and connectivity

Faraday Future FFZero1 Concept —

Faraday Future has investing heavily in electric cars. The striking FFZERO1 Concept car was shown off at the CES in Las Vegas in January 2016, and in October the company's team lined up on the grid for the start of the 2016-17 Formula E world championship.

Tesla has received more than 350,000 pre-orders for its new Model 3 and expects to start delivering the $35,000 car to customers in 2017.

Rimac Concept One —

Croatia-based Rimac Motors has announced that it's Concept One 'hypercar' will be getting an upgrade in 2018.

Rimac Concept One —

The upgrade, announced at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, will see the cars power increase by 100 kilowatts to 900 kilowatts, the company said in a statement.

Rimac Concept One —

Upgrades will enable the refined Concept One to reach 200 kph (124 mph) in six seconds, according to Rimac.

Rimac Concept One —

As well as visiting the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the team behind the car will be heading to New York, Shanghai and Goodwood's Festival of Speed in the UK.

Rimac Concept S —

The Concept S is essentially a GT version of the Concept One, featuring a big front splitter, air deflectors, side skirts, diffuser and a large rear spoiler. Rimac has no plans to make a new model in 2017 but will be looking to break world records.

"The goal in the upcoming year is to break some records to show Concept One is the fastest production car ever -- not just the fastest electric car but the fastest among all other gas-powered cars," Rimac's COO Monika Mikac told CNN.

NextEV NIO EP9 —

The Chinese electric car maker and Formula E team set a new electric car lap record at the Nurburgring with its NIO EP9 hypercar in November and is set to launch a mass market car in 2017. The EV will take some of its design cues from the NIO EP9, the company says, but it will only be available in China initially.

NextEV NIO EP9 —

The NIO EP9 produces an impressive 1,340 horsepower and goes from 0-60 mph in just 2.7 seconds. On a full charge the car has a range of 265 miles (426 kilometers).

Techrules GT96 —

Another supercar set to be unveiled at Geneva in March is the Techrules GT96 crafted by Italian auto designers Fabrizio and Giorgetto Giugiaro.

Techrules GT96 —

The sleek chassis is complemented by a patent-protected "TREV system" -- a hybrid powertrain technology with a built-in turbine generator -- which will create electricity in addition to the power stored in the batteries, the company says.

Fisker EMotion —

Henrik Fisker has created some of modern motoring's most desirable cars, including the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage. The Fisker EMotion is an all-electric sports sedan which will boast a 400-mile (640-km) range, the company says.

Fisker EMotion —

The EMotion will feature a new electric power train layout with battery technology, constructed using graphene. The California-based automaker plans to unveil the car in mid-2017.

Dubuc Tomahawk —

San Diego-based Dubuc Motors is another small company with big electric dreams in 2017. The Tomahawk will boast a 300-mile (480-km) range and an impressive 0-60 mph time of three seconds.

Dubuc Tomahawk —

Dubuc is set to launch a crowdfunding campaign in early 2017 after self-financing the project for the last decade. With the help of investors, the company hopes to fine-tune the design, with the aim of unveiling the Tomahawk at November's Los Angeles Auto Show.

The electric supercars lighting up 2017

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“I would say we can get almost 95% of the work done,” Di Grassi says. “It’s a very sophisticated video game which has a big influence on how we perform.

“On the sim, you normally over drive to find the limit because if you crash into the wall you can start again.

Watch highlights of the Buenos Aires ePrix on CNN’s Formula E show, Supercharged – head to our motorsport page for show times.

“On the circuit you under drive because if you crash your session is over.”