Formula E Shows Progress Is Unstoppable in Provocative Film Created by Uncommon

Formula E is the pinnacle of electric motorsport — an FIA World Championship committed to creating thrilling racing on track and positive impact off it. Independently ranked as the most sustainable sport in the world by the Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports (GSBS), Formula E continues to push the boundaries of innovation in motorsport and set new standards in elite sport.

Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is shaping up to be the most exciting and successful to date with the debut of the GEN3 — the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built; racing in new host cities of Cape Town, Hyderabad, São Paulo and Portland; and new teams joining the grid including Maserati, McLaren and ABT.

The first six races of Season 9 have delivered the most dramatic and unpredictable racing to date with five different drivers on top of the podium and the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team pushing ahead to lead the Teams’ and Drivers’ standings through Pascal Wehrlein.

To celebrate this irresistible momentum and attract the attention of new fans Formula E has partnered with Uncommon Creative Studio on a third creative endeavour — the most ambitious yet. The new work focuses on the unbound and exhilarating thrill of removing all restraints to push forward and the extraordinary mentality of the Formula E racing driver. The film, entitled ‘Progress is Unstoppable’ and directed by Sam Walker, is visually unexpected and impactful, championing Formula E’s unbridled and forward facing mindset and mantra.

The film opens on a white bird fluttering around a cage. We then cut abruptly to a driver sitting and waiting patiently on a bench with focus and determination in his eyes. The driver moves with a cool conviction to the driver’s seat of his GEN3 car as we start to see his surroundings revealing themselves as the inside of a plane. As the huge cargo doors open, the piercing light of the sky pours in, leaving the audience with one question, is he really going to do what we think he is?

The driver accelerates out of the back of the plane with fierce determination — the shrill of the electric motor cutting through our suspense. We see the driver pushing himself, his car and the sport to the limit as the car plummets towards the earth with conviction and grace; an image of extraordinary power against a backdrop of blue skies.

As the action builds with the velocity of the car reaching its peak, our driver ejects himself to parachute to safety. We follow the car as it continues to cut through the air, the camera focusing on the technical and artistic engineering as it accelerates faster and faster, closer and closer to the ground before, at the last moment we cut back to our caged birds set free and the title ‘Progress is unstoppable’.

The two-minute film leads a number of different assets, all adapted to power a variety of digital and above the line channels. From the hero film there are three distinct versions with narratives that speak to Formula E’s distinctive audience interests: human drama, attitude of racing and innovation of the car. The films will run through the remainder of the Formula E season as part of the integrated ‘Progress is Unstoppable’ campaign.

The suite of films will run across multiple media touch points including digital, social and BVOD channels in the UK, India and other global markets. The campaign will continue through the remainder of Season 9 — the next race being the Berlin E-Prix on the 22nd/23rd April.