Formula E has announced it will hold an event next month in Miami where celebrities and influencers, including Brooklyn Beckham and Sergio Aguero, will get the chance to experience the latest Gen3 Evo machines first-hand.
The event, dubbed ‘Evo Sessions’, will be held between 5-6 March using a shortened layout of the Miami International Autodrome raced on by Formula 1 and which also includes the Hard Rock Stadium, home to NFL team the Miami Dolphins.
Eleven celebrities will each drive for one of the regular 11 Formula E teams on the grid, having undergone testing programmes in the weeks proceeding, which will consist of simulator sessions, physical conditioning, driver coaching and engineering debriefs.
Brooklyn Beckham, son of ex-England and Manchester United footballer David, as well as ex-Man City and Argentinian player Aguero were the first drivers announced on Thursday.
They will be joined by Emily in Paris actor Lucien Laviscount, tech content creator Cleo Abram, custom car builder Emelia Hartford and influencer Vinnie Hacker, with five more celebrities due to be announced soon, as well as what team each will drive for.
“Our audience is slightly different to traditional motorsport, a lot of them are digital natives, so this is about providing some entertainment and a behind the scenes narrative, explaining what it’s like to go from nothing to try and become a driver,” said Formula E CEO, Jeff Dodds.
“Understand how to drive a car and allowing them to showcase that journey to their followership which hopefully brings a whole new audience towards the sport who hadn’t considered it previously.
Track overview
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“Far from diminish the credibility of the [regular] drivers, what you’re going to see is just how elite those drivers are when some of these creators try to understand how to drive their car.
“You’re probably going to see gaps in lap times of 20-30 seconds between what a professional racing driver can do.”
The event is not FIA sanctioned, meaning no competitive element will be in play, while any damage incurred to a team’s car will not be factored into each outfit’s cost cap for the season.
The Gen3 Evo cars this season are an evolution of the machines used in the previous two years, with lap times being faster in the region of three seconds. Courtesy of all-wheel-drive, these cars produce a 0-60mph time faster than modern F1 machinery.
The date the event is taking place on was originally listed as a TBC on this season’s calendar, with a race in Thailand’s Chiang Mai city touted as the destination for a race before a change in government meant a deal was not possible.
Rather than finding an alternative venue, Formula E organisers decided to push on with its alternative event that will be closed to spectators.
Instead, footage obtained will be shared across Formula E’s social platforms in the coming weeks, as well as those of the celebrities whose combined following exceeds more than 300 million.
Brooklyn Beckham said: “I’ve loved motorsport all my life, so when the opportunity came to be a part of Evo Sessions with Formula E, I jumped at the chance.
“I love it as a sport, but it’s an incredible opportunity to actually get behind the wheel and experience what it takes to compete at the top level of motorsport.
“The performance of the cars is insane, so I’m pleased I’ll be learning from the best in how to get the most out of them.”
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