Celebrities living life in the fast lane at the Formula E, from Emily Ratajkowski to Kylie Minogue

While most travel to Mexico in search of Cancún or Cabo San Lucas, my trip was a little different than most. The mission? 48 hours in the country for Formula E, and what a 48 hour it was.

Formula 1 has long dominated the circuit as a top sport, as many know, but the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is hot on their heels with a new take on electric car motorsport. In Season 8 of the high-energy ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, I visited Mexico City to get a taste of this futuristic sport.

The races are all held on city center tracks, allowing riders and fans to experience world travel in places like Jakarta, Vancouver, Rome, New York and other beautiful locations around the world.

And while racing is at the forefront, the highly competitive sport underpins the desire to address climate change, and the backers of Formula E have delivered on that mission in incredible ways.

Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski drew attention to the sport in 2018 when she jumped into a racing suit

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CEO Jamie Reigle introduced me to motorsport, which is popular around the world.

At the trackside, with the smell of the upcoming race day in the air, Jamie said to me: “There has been a lot of debate, are we climate change crusaders? are we a sport Are we a platform to advance electrical skills? I think ultimately we have to make sure that the sport has credibility and that people love entertainment, but they also want the best talent to compete.

“If we combine that with a partnership with Channel 4 in the UK, for example, we can tell the stories of our drivers and teams. We believe it is a fun race but there is no time constraint on making this a Tier 1 sport. We will.” As soon as we arrive, you know that people want to see this sport, whether you’re a celebrity or a member of society.

“As we see at other major sporting events, it’s also who’s sitting on the pitch that draws attention.”

Formula E is recognized around the world, not only by track enthusiasts but also in the world of showbiz.

Formula E is recognized around the world, not only by track enthusiasts but also in the world of showbiz

Brit Vernon Kay is presenting the series alongside pit lane reporter Nicki Shields. And the famous names don’t stop there, including Idris Elba, Kylie Minogue, Sienna Miller and Orlando Bloom, who rubbed shoulders with drivers on the grid.

Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski drew attention to the sport in 2018 when she jumped into a racing suit and joined a line of women to get behind the wheel of the all-electric car.

In Mexico, double-platinum pop group Matisse and Colombian sister duo Las Villa were on hand to turn up the volume at the rousing Allianz E-Village after the race. The beauty of Formula E’s nomadic ways means you can sample famous musicians from each city and delve deeper into the culture of the place.

Kylie Minogue seen attending Formula E

ara Delevingne attends the ABB FIA Formula E Heineken London E-Prix

Lottie Moss during day two of the ABB FIA Formula E Heineken London

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On the subject of matching items

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On the subject of matching items

In keeping with the forward-thinking, ecological theme, the exciting E-Village in every Formula E allows you to learn more about a greener future. From crowds carrying plants gifted to them, to the Formula E Gen 2 cars of the future, to feasting on carefully presented and responsibly sourced food, there is so much to do while you await the main event.

“We’re constantly working with brands that are focused on sustainability,” Julia Pallé, Sustainability Director for Formula E and Extreme E, tells me.

Brands collaborating with Formula E include brands like Heineken and Hugo Boss. Big names that share a similar vision of creating a more sustainable lifestyle.

Julia continued, “We are trying to help other brands achieve their goal and deepen the championship’s sustainability credentials. We work with Allianz and when they came to us they were very interested in the issue of plastic pollution, so we worked on a water bottle station that gives free water to the public, accompanied by reusable cups and water bags.

“They decided to support this initiative because it met their own goals and helped us deepen our credentials.

Meet Vernon Kay at the trackside

No question, the drivers felt their nerves, but only winners with 11 teams and 22 cars

“We now take this approach with every partnership to enable people to show how innovative their technology or their products and services are and to empower us on a global scale to achieve that sustainable lifestyle. I hope we influenced other sports.”

There are so many commendable initiatives behind Formula E, including FIA Girls On Track, which encourages people aged 8 to 18 from all backgrounds and with no motorsport experience to get involved. The ingenious initiative, founded by Susie Wolff in 2016, also makes girls ready not only to improve their driving skills in e-karts, but also to watch their favorite drivers compete.

And who wants to miss race day?

Formula E takes place all over the world

Who wants to miss race day? The atmosphere is electric!

The atmosphere is electric and in Mexico City nearly 40,000 people roared with excitement at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. With drinks in hand, we did a grid walk and eyeballed the cars before the race. I spent the race myself at the Emotion Club, which showers you with fine dining and live entertainment, with cuisine that reflects the culture of the city you’re in.

And that’s not all. Found at every Formula E, the clubs offer limited edition Hugo Boss gifts and exclusive behind-the-scenes garage tours, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the world of Formula E.

And while we were blown away by the atmosphere over champagne at the EMOTION Club, the drivers were no doubt nervous as 11 teams, 22 cars, but only winners, were ready to hit the track. British racer Sam Bird, who joined Jaguar TCS Racing ahead of Season 7, told me ahead of the race: “We’re going to go ahead and try to win a World Championship soon. You lose more than you win in this game but with Jaguar we have a great car and great engineers here and I think we should be strong here.

“There are so many perks to the job but I would say the cons are waiting in airport terminals but that’s about it! Jetlag isn’t great either, but other than that I have my dream job and nothing seems like a chore. I can do what I love in life. It’s the best job in the world.”

Adriana Lima is interviewed on the grid ahead of the second race of Season 8

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On the subject of matching items

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On the subject of matching items

I used to only have a glimpse of Formula 1 and always perceived it as a sporting event with a lot of glamor. Formula E is catching up in many ways, but it’s also a different world when you head into the garages off the track and get a real feel for the action.

That’s how it was in the Jaguar workshop, which Jaguar Managing Director James Barclay took me through. From the weight of the riders’ helmets, which they customize, to observing how all the systems work and pulling the tires off, it was an alien world I was dying to learn more about.

While I was cheering for Sam, this time it was Porsche who pulled off the perfect race, with Pascal Wehrlein crowned champion and Andre Lotterer just behind him.

Vernon Kay emphasized his connection with the drivers and his enjoyment of the role as presenter, telling me: “We see different cultures and different ways of life, so you can see how the world goes around I think and how people live perceive what is great. The Formula E community is like one big family, with many familiar and friendly faces and a great atmosphere.”

The next Formula E race will take place in Rome on April 9th.

Channel 4 will broadcast all 16 rounds of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on terrestrial television, whether live or as a highlight program.