If you are a fan of video games, you surely know Mario Kart, one of Nintendo’s most iconic games. This title is not only a benchmark in terms of arcade racing, but it has managed to stay relevant with each new version, adding characters, tracks and game modes that make it a classic.
In this game there are several elements that add more excitement to the races, such as the ability to throw banana peels or being able to go faster momentarily by driving over certain surfaces. These mechanics allow players to use both skill and strategy to outdo their opponents and win races.
Albert Fàbrega, a well-known engineer and mechanic turned reporter, has shown in a post on Instagram how what happens in Mario Kart is reminiscent of real technologies in motorsports. He specifically mentions Attack Mode, a system used in Formula E that “adds an important strategic factor to racing.”
Attack Mode is a system that provides cars with a power boost of 50 kW, approximately 70 horsepower, for a limited time. To activate it, you must pass through a special lane on the outside of one of the circuit’s curves. This mode must be used at least twice per race by each driver, depending on the circuit, it can last between four and eight minutes.
Activating Attack Mode, as Fàbrega has said, is an important strategy in Formula E, since, although it can cause a driver to temporarily lose positions, it allows them to “recover them thanks to the extra power.”
So that everyone can understand what is happening on the track, the cars emit light signals when Attack Mode is activated: the halo, rollhoop and rear wing light up. In this way, anyone can instantly and clearly identify the use of this advantage as already happens with the use of the DRS button or the depletion of the electric battery.
As Fàbrega has mentioned, this system may end up being the precursor to Push to Pass, proposed for Formula 1 in 2026, which will be a year where everything will change thanks to the new regulations. Although it is still unknown what specific regulations will be implemented, this extra energy could end up arriving.
Formula 1 followers have been left with their mouths open when they see what happens in the Formula E overtaking. As it could not be otherwise, Twitter users have made quick comparisons with Mario Kart: “In two days we have Stroll coming back because Alonso has come out with a blue shell to throw it at Verstappen.” However, a follower wanted to clarify that it looks more like F-Zero.
Others have assured that the Attack Mode is not that big a deal, so the Push to Pass, to be effective, should be inspired more by what happens in IndyCar, which favors overtaking without giving it away: “In Indy it is very well implemented “If they do it indy style I wouldn’t see it as bad, but having to go through a place to activate it as if it were Mario Kart seems silly to me.” Another tweeter has pointed out that “they don’t realize that the problem is not overtaking” but “not being able to fight.”