Formula E’s Unplugged Series is Back for the Most Dramatic Season Ever
- Series 3 of Unplugged launches on 2 January giving viewers a completely new look at the most competitive and dramatic Formula E season ever
- The biggest personalities in the Formula E paddock are featured, leading up to the final weekend of racing where both Drivers’ and Teams’ world championships were settled
- All the clashes and crashes, record-breaking racing, and intense off-track rivalries bring Formula E to life like never before
- All episodes of Formula E: Unplugged will be available to watch from January 2, 2024, on Formula E’s YouTube channel
- The series will also be available on local linear channels across the globe*
LONDON, UK. Thurs 21 Dec. 2023 – Formula E’s Unplugged series is back – officially bigger and better than ever – taking fans behind the scenes of the most competitive and dramatic season to date in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Series Three of Unplugged goes live from Tuesday, 2 January, giving viewers an authentic and unfiltered account of Season 9. The latest series will feature the incredible title chase that was only decided on the final weekend, with driver rivalries that boiled over on and off the track, taking place against the backdrop of the fastest racing – and most devastating crash – in Formula E history.
Unplugged promises to serve up never-seen-before content of the record-breaking season, with more action and insider interviews that will entertain fans and give Formula E rookies an introduction to the personalities and storylines powering the growing popularity of the world’s most competitive motorsport.
Britain’s Jake Dennis (Andretti Formula E Team) won the Drivers’ world championship title in London on the final weekend of the season, which was the epic climax of a season-long tussle with rivals Pascal Wehrlein, (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team), Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) and Nick Cassidy, who would end up finishing second but not before powering his former team, Envision Racing, to the Teams’ World Championship title in the final race.
Seven different drivers from six different teams won races during the 16-race season which featured races in the centre of iconic world cities including Mexico City, Diriyah, Hyderabad, Cape Town, São Paulo, Berlin, Monaco, Jakarta, Portland, Rome and London.
Many of the biggest names in world motorsport appeared on the Formula E grid in Season 9, including Maserati, who returned to single-seater world championship motorsport for the first time in more than 60 years, together with McLaren, Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan and Mahindra.
While the story of Jake Dennis’s dramatic first world championship is a key storyline, fans will also see the incredible technological developments that are a hallmark of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. From the debut of the GEN3 race car – the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built – to NEOM McLaren driver, Jake Hughes, breaking the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™, setting a new top speed achieved by a vehicle indoors – Unplugged has it all.
Tim Glass, Broadcast and Programming Director, Formula E, said:
“The Unplugged cameras captured every angle of what is officially our biggest and most dramatic season ever. There are clashes and crashes, high-speed action and intense rivalries, all playing out in iconic locations across the world from Cape Town to Hyderabad, São Paulo to London. Unplugged is the perfect way for new fans to catch-up on Formula E just as our new season begins, and for dedicated fans to get a whole new perspective on the entertainment from last season.”
Jake Dennis, driver for Andretti Formula E Team said:
“It took a momentous effort from the entire team last year to achieve what we did. So much happens behind the scenes that fans don’t usually get to see, and so to be able give fans an insight into all of the untold stories through Unplugged is fantastic. It’s also so much easier to connect with a sport when you feel like you know the people involved in it. Unplugged truly offers viewers a unique look at what it takes to compete in one of the world’s most competitive sports.”
The third season of Formula E: Unplugged will also be available in select territories via Formula E’s media partners across 8 episodes, while on YouTube the series will be available in 10 episodes optimised for the platform, featuring a mix of fifteen-minute and eight-minute episodes, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the drama and innovation that defines this pioneering sport.
Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins on Saturday, 13 January 2024 with the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix.
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*Notes to editors:
Where to watch Series 3 of Unplugged
- Global – YouTube
- Eurosport Player/Discovery + – Pan Europe
- TNT Sports – UK
- Roku – US
- Bandeirantes – Brazil
Episode synposis
Broadcast episode breakdown
*Episodes vary in length but approx. 25-minutes
EPISODE 1
The American Dream, Avalanche Andretti
The name Andretti is synonymous with American motorsport. With a team in FE, we’ll try to understand how their American values fit within a modern motorsport series. And how that effects Jake Dennis, their hotshot driver, when battling for the championship.
EPISODE 2
German Ambitions, Porsche, ABT
With an introduction to the all-electric motorsport, we meet the two German teams with differing expectations for the season. The family-run racing outfit from Bavaria, ABT, just wants to be competitive, whilst the motorsport giant, Porsche, wants to win, win, win
EPISODE 3
The Rookies, NIO 333, Nissan, McLaren
In a series like Formula E, experience counts – many have tried but few have succeeded. Two new faces join the paddock for Season 9: McLaren’s Jake Hughes and Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz. Both are young men trying to prove their worth as we explore their journey on track and in life. We also catch-up with Season 8’s only surviving rookie, Dan Ticktum, as he continues to prove his worth with NIO333.
EPISODE 4
Lucas Di Grassi – Legacy, Mahindra
As the first driver to sign up to the series and the only driver to pass 1,000 points in the Championship, he is the epitome of what Formula E is about. For seven seasons he was a one-man band, Now, with his third team in as many years, what does the future hold for the man who helped build the sport?
EPISODE 5
A Matter of Principal, Maserati MSG
Motorsport dynasty, Maserati, enter Formula E in Season 9, its first racing series in over 60 years. And the person
in charge of the team is the youngest Team Principal on the grid. We follow James Rossiter in his very first year in the role. With six crashes in the first six race weekends, how will he deal with the pressure of managing such a huge name within the sport?
EPISODE 6
Sam Bird – Fight or Flight, Jaguar TCS Racing
Time heals all wounds…
Following Sam Bird’s forgettable Season 8 – his only season without a race win – he returns to Season 9 with a spring in his step. A podium finish in the second race of the season shows early signs that the old competitor is back, but disaster strikes, and the Englishman must fight for his season and his place in the sport.
EPISODE 7
The Customers
Envision Racing
In Formula E, teams are either manufacturers or customers. Whist the manufacturers have huge backing, the customers have to show nous and to think differently. Envision are the epitome of that. We look at how they’ll push for both the drivers and constructors Championships with their two very different drivers.
EPISODE 8
Showdown
Various
As we come to the climax of the season, the action ramps up. With four drivers in the hunt for the championship title heading into the penultimate race weekend, we see drama unfold with crashes and incidents as dreams will be broken but for one, immortality awaits
YouTube Episode Breakdown
*Episodes optimized for 15 min episodes
EPISODE 1
The American Dream: Jake Dennis’ Quest for Formula E Glory
Andretti
EPISODE 2
Track Titans: Porsche’s Chase for Formula E Prestige
Porsche
EPISODE 3
ABT’s Turbulent Return: Triumph & Tradegy in Formula E
ABT
EPISODE 4
New Blood: The Rookies Igniting Formula E
NIO 333, Nissan, McLaren
EPISODE 5
1000 Points and Beyond: The Lucas Di Grassi Saga
Mahindra
EPISODE 6
A Matter of Principal: Maserati’s Return to Racing in Formula E
Maserati MSG
EPISODE 7
From Tears to Triumph: Sam Bird’s Formula E Resurgence
Sam Bird (Jaguar)
EPISODE 8
Power Play: Envision Racing’s Formula E Ambitions
Envision
EPISODE 9
Edge of Glory: The Penultimate Formula E Battle in Rome
Rome
EPISODE 10
Final Lap: Dreams & Drama in Formula E’s London Finale
London
About Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship:
As the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport-certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.
The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities are united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and planet.
About ABB:
ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com
Sources: Formula E PR
images by Formula E