Formula E: The Ultimate Motorsport for ADHD Brains

Copyright: Andrew Ferraro

As a neurodivergent individual with ADHD, I find that Formula 1 races often lack the excitement and constant action needed to keep my brain engaged. However, Formula E provides a more thrilling experience that better suits the needs of neurodivergent brains.

                                                                                

The Challenges of Watching Formula 1 with ADHD

We have all been there: we are trying to concentrate on something, but our brain just won't stop thinking, no matter how hard we try. It can be really frustrating! For those with ADHD, this is a common and regular occurrence.

Pairing this with a love for a thrilling sport like motorsport can be fabulous but tricky at the same time. Watching great battles for positions on track and exhilarating overtakes can provide the thrill the neurodivergent brain craves. But the brain also loses focus very quickly if nothing exciting happens for a short while. For fans of Formula 1, for example, losing focus for just a few minutes or even seconds can make the difference between witnessing a major moment of the race or missing it. For exactly this reason I have come to realise that Formula 1 is not the best for ADHD brains.

At least at the current moment in time.

Let me paint you a picture:

You are watching the race. The drivers are driving around the track and everyone is meters away from each other. No overtake has happened for multiple laps. The brain suddenly remembers the dishwasher that still needs to be emptied and the laundry that has been hanging on the washing line for days.

Maybe it is time to put them into the wardrobe? No, stop! Focus on the race! 

But nothing exciting is happening! It's like watching televised traffic (as David Mitchell accurately described it once)!

The back and forth in your head about trying to focus, and blaming yourself for not being able to, is energy-draining. On top of that, you are obviously not concentrating on the cars while your brain is going a million miles an hour, and you are internally screaming at yourself! Not helpful.

Neurodivergent brains need excitement, thrill, and action. That is what ensures sustained focus! 

From my own experience I can say, Formula 1 (for the most part) does not provide the necessary excitement for the ADHD brain.

How Formula E Keeps ADHD Brains Engaged

A series that is much more suited to the wants and needs of ADHD brains, I have come to realise, is Formula E.

Something that is immediately obvious when you start watching Formula E after first having watched Formula 1 is that the number of overtakes during a race is much higher.

Let us compare the number of overtakes in Monaco, a circuit both series share: 

2024:

• F1: 4 overtakes (during 78 laps)
• Fe: 197 overtakes (during 29 laps)

If this does not scream thrilling battles, then I do not know what does!

The electric racing series consists of one exciting moment following the next. The brain can never even start to think about something else because it always has at least one thrilling battle or some interesting energy management strategy to focus on.

Sometimes there are even so many battles and different interesting strategies happening all at the same time, that one cannot even comprehend everything that is happening. To properly understand, you have to go back and watch a replay of the specific scene.  

Benefits of Watching Formula E at Home

Guess what: With Formula E, if you are watching the race from home, you are able to go back and rewatch as many times as you need (unlike F1)! Every free practice, qualifying or race can be paused and rewound at any given moment. It is wonderful! Perfect for a brain that gets distracted easily.

On top of that, the focus on cutting-edge electric vehicle technology and sustainability can be particularly interesting for neurodivergent individuals who quite often have a strong passion for specific interests. The innovative aspects of the sport can captivate those who enjoy learning about new technologies.

Overall, the combination of shorter, more action-packed races that can be paused and rewound, along with the innovative technology of the series, makes Formula E particularly engaging for neurodivergent individuals with ADHD.