By and large, the inaugural season of Formula E->ke4660 was a resounding success on all fronts. From a television perspective, it attracted a total cumulative global audience of over 10.7 billion people. Television networks from all over the world also spent 6,855 hours of dedicated TV coverage on the new sport. From a pure racing point of view, Formula E had the parity and excitement that Formula One->ke190 and MotoGP->ke5142 have lacked in recent years. Of the 11 races held in its first year, seven different drivers won races and the championship wasn’t decided until the final race in London. Nelson Piquet Jr. eventually became the inaugural winner of Formula E, taking the title for NEXTEV Team China Racing by edging out Sebastian Buemi by a single point.

Trying to topple the excitement of the inaugural season is a daunting task, but Formula E is off to a good start after Buemi’s thrilling victory in the season-opening race in Beijing on October 24, 2015. If there are still those who haven’t been updated on the latest items surrounding Formula E’s second season, this five-and-a-half minute video->ke278 is a must-watch.

In a nutshell, the 2015-2016 Formula E season has had a treasure trove of changes, beginning with a driver’s lineup that now includes former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who takes over the Venturi seat left behind by another ex F1 driver, Nick Heidfeld. For his part, Heidfeld has moved to Mahindra. Meanwhile, Simona del Silvestro has taken a seat on the Andretti team, joining Michela Cerrutti and Katherine Legge as the only female drivers to race in the series.

But the biggest change for the 2015-2016 Formual E season is in engine development. Unlike the first season, teams have been given the freedom to develop their own powertrain, specifically the e-motor, the inverter, the gearbox and the cooling system. It’s a completely new approach that could redefine the sport now that teams have the freedom to develop their own engines as they see fit. Can you imagine the different sound signatures coming out of these cars this season?

I’m excited for the second Formula E season, although I will admit that I got a bit spoiled by the excitement of the first season. My bar is now set pretty high and anything that doesn’t exceed that is going to be a disappointment. Here’s to hoping that Formula E can carry the buzz and momentum it created last season into the second year.

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Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E Race Car

Read more about the Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E Race Car here.