Is Formula E the future of motorsport?
It appears Formula E™ has big plan regarding growth, attractiveness for automakers as "laboratory," and possibly calming effect for various environmental groups. Conclusion whether F1 is finish could be premature, however question how many more years have to live is probably legitimate. Dusting off my crystal ball, my number is 5 to 10 max. Electric cars will replace it as mainstream open seater road racing series. Writing is on the wall.
5 years - if governance contains too many errors + technology hop as better racing alternative which will be probably quite sophisticated by then.
10 years - simple technology hop.
Various countries are on the record about their plans vis a vis ICE (and diesel). Public transportation will run mostly electric within next a few years. India will sell only electric cars in 11 years.
We are in technology hop already, however not everyone is paying attention.
It would not surprise me if green movement will be able to write laws quite soon which will restrict smoke generating devices with increasing urgency. At some point polluters (smoke, noise, night lavishly lit streets) will be ostracized, and F1 will be in cross-hairs with their image. I am guessing we will not have to wait for it 20 years. I've read somewhere we have about 12 - 15 years before we reach a point of no return on our way of destruction of our habitat (should we continue as we are today).
Coal powered F1 cars would be cool.