Beta pulls off Gen3 inspired FIA World Championship trophy made of anodised aluminium

Formula E has unveiled the most currently designed race winners’ trophy inspired by the indomitable power and energy of the Gen3 age. The trophy with an anodised aluminium construct will be revealed on March 14 in Mexico City.  

Beta Design Office, a London-based innovator, has crafted and developed the framework of the trophy, which honours Formula E’s new Gen3, the lightweight, most agile and ultra-powerful electric race car ever conceived. 

The Beta Design team selected anodised aluminium as the base metal for the trophy for its extremely lightweight characteristics. Also, the element has a robust outline that supports the trophy’s structure. Moreover, anodised aluminium can enhance the outlook as a significant gold and silver colour match can be produced, making the trophy shiny and attractive. Beta was searching for a high-end compound that would display all the signs of being exclusive as it was to match the global status of the FIA World Championship. 

The spiked features of the trophy resonate with the powerful characteristics of Gen3, which is a third-generation electric car that continuously has improved its creative aspect and overachieved the limits of technology in the EV industry.  

Gen3, the first electric open-wheel race car, has successfully decoded the 200mph milestone, yielding almost 40% of the energy utilised in the run during the race itself. This has definitely escalated the regenerative capacity of its predecessor, the Gen2 car, to 600kW. 

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship required a unique new race trophy to commemorate the Gen3 era. The design was articulately managed to portray the concept of speed, electrification and movement, along with displaying stark signs of modernity and panache. 

Beta designers were intrigued by the actual components of the world’s first all-electric motorsport international championship. The trophy holds 44 fins in all, with 22 larger ones representing the 22 headstrong drivers taking part in the Formula E World Championship, while the other 22 smaller fins are placed to signify the 22 electric cars on the track. The trophy shares identical attributes of automotive spokes, heatsinks and cores within a power cable, coupled with continuous lines found in automotive body panels. 

The Chief Marketing Officer of Formula E, Henry Chilcott, commented: “We tasked Beta with creating a trophy that would be the pinnacle expression of our new brand identity. Inspired by the instant torque of electric acceleration, the trophy speaks to our sport’s role as a powerful catalyst for change whilst also capturing the excitement and speed of electric racing. We can’t wait to see it lifted in celebration at our first race of Season 9 in Mexico City on Saturday, January 14.”

The Co-Founder and Creative Director of Beta, Mark Reilly, exclaimed: “We wanted the trophy design to create a sense of electricity, the essence of a cup but with the burst of acceleration. Creating a narrative in projects is important for us at Beta. Both Harry [Mitchell, Co-Founder & Creative Director] and I are fans of motorsport, and we wanted the design to act as a symbol of the exciting and fast-paced evolution of Formula E and a vision for the future.”