Formula One has a 50-50 chance of going racing, says Agag
SHOWS: VALENCIA, SPAIN (FILE 2018) (FORMULA E OPERATIONS LTD - ACCESS ALL) 1.
FORMULA E CAR TESTING LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: "They are doing the right thing trying, I agree.
And we are going to try the same thing.
We are going to try to put some races behind closed doors.
"For us it's probably easier because for example in Germany they have forbidden any event with more than 1,000 people.
We, counting all the people that participate from the strict minimum racing operation, and broadcasting operation and safety operation, in a race we are in 950 to 970 people to produce a race.
So we could for example could race behind closed doors in Germany." VALENCIA, SPAIN (FILE 2018) (FORMULA E OPERATIONS LTD - ACCESS ALL) 3.
FORMULA E CAR TESTING LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: "I think there's a 50-50 chance (of Formula One starting up again).
My personal view as a fan and as a newspaper reader, I guess it's a 50-50 chance.
The same for us." VALENCIA, SPAIN (FILE 2018) (FORMULA E OPERATIONS LTD - ACCESS ALL) 5.
FORMULA E CAR TESTING LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: "I think if we just make one more race we can be a championship, I think six.
We will try and make at least two or three more races in a closed circuit.
I think that should be possible in the month of August.
But again, who knows with this thing?" VALENCIA, SPAIN (FILE 2018) (FORMULA E OPERATIONS LTD - ACCESS ALL) 7.
FORMULA E CAR TESTING LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: I'm thinking 90% they will be in Europe.
We still have an option outside of Europe that we're looking at, that is still alive, but we will decide later on." ROME, ITALY (FILE - DECEMBER 1, 2012) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9.
FORMULA E CAR BEING DRIVEN BY LUCAS DI GRASSI PAST THE COLOSSEUM LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: "We could race in Britain.
We are talking with some tracks in the UK to do it and maybe even more than a race.
Formula One is looking at doing maybe a few races on the same location, we are doing the same.
We are looking maybe at that possibility too." ROME, ITALY (FILE - DECEMBER 1, 2012) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11.
DI GRASSI IN CAR LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 12.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: "They have freedom of strategy.
They can put the man first or the woman first.
Imagine that one, has to be a man or a woman or whatever, goes faster on the first lap, and then the team mate is going and then the second team mate is going faster than him.
So you have a woman in front and the man catching up.
That is going to be a real competition because they are going to cross the finish line very very close." ROME, ITALY (FILE - DECEMBER 1, 2012) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 13.
DI GRASSI DRIVING IN ROME LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (APRIL 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEJANDRO AGAG, FORMULA E FOUNDER, SAYING: "I'm a very big fan of the mixed doubles in tennis.
I used to follow Martina Navratilova when she was continuing her career in mixed doubles.
Both members of the team are equally decisive for victory.
So I think this is what makes this concept interesting.
But probably only Extreme E can do it." VATICAN CITY (FILE - APRIL 11, 2018) (CTV - ACCESS ALL) 15.
GROUP PHOTOGRAPH WITH POPE FRANCIS STANDING BEHIND FORMULA E CAR STORY: Formula E founder Alejandro Agag reckons both his electric series and Formula One have a 50-50 chance of getting races run due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has stalled both championships.
The Spaniard, whose city-based series started last November and completed five races before the virus forced it off the streets, said it was unclear how much was going to be possible as restrictions eased.
He said Formula One bosses, who have plans to start their season without spectators at Austria's Red Bull Ring in July before racing behind closed doors at Silverstone in Britain, were doing "the right thing trying".
"We are going to try the same thing.
We are going to try to put some races behind closed doors," the Spaniard told Reuters in an interview via Zoom.
"I guess it's a 50-50 chance.
The same for us," he added when asked whether he felt Formula One would manage to get races held.
Formula E has a logistical advantage in that it has far smaller teams and controls all the cars, which are currently stored in Valencia in Spain, after the most recent race in Morocco at the end of February.
It also needs only a few more races to have a valid championship, with the normal season due to end in July but expandable into August and September.
"We will try and make at least two or three more races in a closed circuit.
I think that should be possible in the month of August.
But again, who knows?," said Agag.
"I'm thinking 90% they will be in Europe.
We still have an option outside of Europe that we're looking at, that is still alive, but we will decide later on." Agag reckoned Formula E needed between 950-970 people to put on a race, including broadcasters and safety staff, which would allow them to get under the limit of 1,000 imposed by some countries.
Formula E's last two rounds of the season are scheduled for New York and London at venues that are now being used as temporary hospitals for those suffering from the virus.
Both locations are likely to be scrapped, but Agag suggested Britain remained an option.
Agag is also busy planning an Extreme E off-road environmentally conscious electric SUV 'docu-sport' series that is due to launch next year.
They announced on Thursday that the eight teams' cars would be crewed equally by male and female drivers.
Inspired by mixed doubles tennis, the Extreme E electric off-road series plans to pit male and female drivers against each other in equal numbers and the same machinery when it launches next year.
Agag said eight teams would each have a male and female driver who will take turns at the wheel of their shared and identical 550 horsepower SUVs.
The environmentally-focused series aims to highlight climate change with races in five remote and harsh locations and without spectators with the action filmed for television as 'docu-sport'.
Car crews will compete in two lap races as driver and co-driver, with a changeover after the first lap.
(Production: Andy Ragg)