F1 legend makes 'incredibly impressive' new Formula E beast prediction

Former F1 driver Mark Webber has predicted that Formula E is set to be "incredibly impressive" next season, based on what he has heard about its new Gen4 race car.

The all-electric series is currently mid-season in the final campaign of the Gen3 era and will introduce its new car competitively, likely at the end of December, which is when the next calendar is expected to get underway.

Formula E officially launched the Gen4 last week at the Circuit Paul Ricard, with the remarkable machine featuring 600 kW of power (815 bhp), capable of 0–100 km/h in 1.8 seconds and reaching 335 km/h. It has received widespread praise on social media, with many liking its design.

For the category, Gen4 will represent a major step forward in performance — one which intrigues Webber, particularly regarding how it will perform and where it will race, given the greater speeds and larger size.

The Australian is no stranger to Formula E through his role as a Porsche brand ambassador, as well as the manager of Jaguar’s Mitch Evans.

"I've seen Formula E from its infancy, really early on," Webber told Formula E. "It's been around over 10 years now, so it's been a long time. And through all the generations of cars and different types of circuits, what's absolutely clear is just how competitive it is. There are some seriously, seriously handy racing drivers. Some of the best guys in the world are in this championship.

"And how the teams operate it — it's a very complex championship to be competitive in because the margins are so, so, so small. 

"So yeah, it's been good to watch. I've been to quite a few races and it’s super competitive, and I know they've got some exciting plans for the future as well. Faster is always better for us drivers. I'm hearing good things about the Gen4 car: very, very, very quick, a lot of power.

"It's going to be very, very interesting how they select the circuits, how the calendar looks — obviously that's in good hands — making sure it gets some good feedback from the drivers. But I think ultimately, that’ll be the best example of Formula E we've ever seen. No question about it. That's what the drivers want.

"The speeds are pretty high at the moment, but obviously it sounds like they're going to be incredibly impressive next year. I look forward to watching that, and if the drivers are happy, then generally the championship's happy."