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Buemi: Software updates in Formula E are virtually aero updates in F1

14:43, 04 Nov 2018

byNicolás Quarles van Ufford

Formula E driver Sebastien Buemi has explained that software update battles in FE are the sport's equivalent of the Formula 1's aerodynamic upgrade war, as the electronic cars in FE are much more reliant on software.

Formula E cars are not allowed by FE regulation to change any of the hardware on their cars, leaving all the improvement to be made in the software. Buemi, who drives for Nissan e.dams, explained this in an interview with Motorsport.com.

“Exactly, yes, it is completely," the Swiss driver said when asked if software updates are comparable to F1's aero updates.

“You know [with] the hardware everything is more or less frozen when you go in the new season but there are so many things that you can do on the software.

“[This] helps with either the management of the energy or on a performance lap – there are many things we can try to have to make the car quicker.

“At some point of course it remains a compromise between having the best possible set-up, mechanically on the car. But the systems and the software are nearly the biggest performance tool you have today.

“So, we work a lot on that and we keep improving the car by adding new systems throughout the season, so yeah you can compare it to that clearly.”