We’re Afraid the Formula E Might Have Officially Become Better than Formula One

But like the Hans Christian Andersen story, the queen is beginning to wear really transparent clothes. There’s no hiding the fact that Formula One is deeply flawed. But as long as the show was still up to par, we might have turned a blind eye to what was going on behind scenes.

The thing is it’s not: the competition is boring, predictable, and you get the feeling that everyone involved is lacking passion. They’re in it for the money, and some for personal fame. And the only reason people are still supporting the teams is because they’re used to do it since that time when the races were still worth watching. But unless something is done, this habit of theirs will eventually wear off.

Or maybe they will get over their prejudices and switch over to Formula E. So what if you don’t need to wear earplugs to protect your hearing from the cars passing by? So what if the cars sound like high-speed trains pulling off from the station? It’s the contest that really matters.

The new Formula E season has just concluded its third race, and already there’s a real battle going on between two rivaling pilots. And unlike Formula One, the duel is also carried out on the track, mano a mano. You don’t rely on strategy and a good team of technicians to save you time when changing tires. You rely on your skill and motivation.

This Sunday, Formula E’s 3rd round was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, also known as “the Saint Tropez of South America.” But in spite of all the glitz that comes with sandy beaches and anchored yachts, the race was as unceremonious as they get. It’s too early to tell, but two drivers have already signaled themselves as the main contenders for the title, with only one point between them and more than double the points of the pilot sitting in third.

Sébastien Buemi needed the win to jump ahead of the Brazilian Lucas di Grassi in the general standings, the former having won the previous round in Putrajaya, Malaysia. But the initial signs weren’t exactly what you would describe as “positive.”

After a very good first practice run, Buemi only managed to qualify in the fifth place. The good news, however, was that di Grassi was one position ahead of him, and once the start had been given, Buemi managed to overtake the Brazilian before the first turn. He then did the same with the rest of the drivers that were standing between him and the first position. Di Grassi did mostly the same, but had to settle for second, three seconds and a half behind race winner Buemi.

The next race will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on February 6, 2016. If you haven’t seen the race in Uruguay, have a look at the highlights below (there’s plenty of overtaking and even some bumps and an accident), and we promise you won’t be making any plans for that February date anymore, other than sitting in front of your TV enjoying a proper circuit race with single-seaters.

With even Bernie Ecclestone saying that “Formula One is crap” these days - and he’s the man who should be making sure it’s not - the future isn’t looking too bright for the loud racing series. Good thing we have an alternative.