The Formula E championship got a new Safety Car at the Monaco E-Prix last month. Once again, the car that steps in on the track whenever needed is a BMW. This time, the i8 Roadster has been picked to pick up where the Coupe left off and the new model is quite hardcore by comparison. Even though more than a month passed since the new i8 Roadster Safety Car has been unveiled, just the other day BMW published a short video showcasing their new machine.
In this video, we get to see Bruno Correia, the Formula E Safety Car driver, accept a challenge from Pierre Casiraghi, vice president of “Yacht Club de Monaco”, to race to the harbor. Pierre is on board a yacht featuring BMW Yachtsport veils, looking especially fast. The i8 Roadster is no slouch either, the Safety Car treatment bringing some rather interesting upgrades to the table, upgrades meant not just to make the car look cooler but also to be practical.
The most striking modification to the BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car is the front windscreen, which is shorter than the production model. This gives the car a more dynamic appearance. The Safety Car’s center of gravity is also 15 millimeters lower than the production car. The car has M Carbon Ceramic Brakes, an FIA-approved roll bar, a front splitter and a rear wing for additional downforce. Modifications necessary for its role of Safety Car have also been made. The light bar is mounted above the rear wing, making it easily visible from all angles in any race situation.
Overall, the new BMW Formula E Safety Car looks absolutely stunning. Chip in the incredible backdrops of Monaco and the skilled driver behind the wheel and you have a nice recipe for a great video. In the end though, somehow, Pierre manages to arrive via parachute, landing straight into the open cabin of the i8 Roadster. Having both competitors in the same car, they decided to call this a draw but we all know the i8 actually won.
