Melbourne to host Electric F1 grand prix

Melbourne, Mar 14 (ANI): Melbourne is all set to host a F1 grand prix of a different kind in which Formula One technology will be used, but the petrol engines in cars will be replaced by electric motors.

Officials are looking to replace the high-pitched noise of an F1 car with the slow sound of an electric motor at Melbourne's Albert Park.

Garry Connelly, the deputy president of the FIA Institute, said a round of the Formula E championship is being considered for Australia.

Formula E is due to kick off next year with a series of demonstration races before moving to a full championship in 2014, The Age reports.

"The sole purpose of this is to put out there in front of the public that electric cars work [in motorsport], and they're fast and good to drive," Connelly told the Cars of Tomorrow conference in Melbourne today.

"It will be very interesting to see if we can host a round of the championship in Australia. One of the challenges, of course, is how to get some noise [out of the cars], because the idea of putting in sound is a bit of a conflict of ideas, but I'm sure the people of St Kilda will be very happy that they are silent," he said.

Connelly told Drive that Formula E races will not be as long as the ones in the current formula one series because of the limitations of the electric drivetrain technology. (ANI)