With the start of the seventh Formula E season just one week away, there are two significant name changes to look out for. The first all-electric racing series for formula cars gained World Championship status in the run-up to the season and is now officially designated the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. And to reflect a change in brand orientation, our team will henceforth compete as the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team.
“We are delighted to see our Formula E team representing our brand, Mercedes-EQ, which is pioneering electric mobility on race tracks in numerous metropolises around the world,” said Bettina Fetzer, Head of Marketing at Mercedes-Benz AG. “Since its debut season in 2014, Formula E stands for technological innovation and characterizes a positive change in mobility. We are shaping this change in a responsible and sustainable way, utilizing this unique platform to drive curiosity and excitement for our electric brand with our customers and fans.”
Diriyah to host first-ever floodlit race weekend
Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne will contest Season 7 at the wheel of the Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02, which is an updated version of last year’s car, the major change being a new drivetrain.
The Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team has fond memories of the 2019 curtain-raiser in Diriyah. On the occasion of the team’s debut in the all-electric racing series, Stoffel made it onto the podium in both rounds, while Nyck finished in the points on his E-Prix debut.
This year’s visit to Diriyah also holds out the intriguing prospect of the first two night races in the history of the racing series. Use of the latest low-power LED technology is set to reduce energy consumption by up to 50 percent compared with conventional lighting systems.
Comments ahead of the 2021 Diriyah E-Prix
Ian James, Team Principal:
“Some time has passed since the official tests in Valencia in early December, but we have been able to use the extra weeks to evaluate the data we have collected and prepare for the postponed start of the season. In any case, Diriyah will give us our first real chance to see where we stand relative to the opposition.
We had a challenging and, above all, instructive debut season; there is no doubt about that. We now have to try to carry this momentum forward into the new season. For all of us the focus is now on maximum precision and operational excellence.
We have to build on what we learned last season and improve in those areas that we identified as being in need of improvement. That’s absolutely vital in Formula E: if you have a strong package, as a team you have to make sure you perform consistently in race after race.
If we can do that, we’ll be in a good position to fight for podiums and wins this season, but it’s far too early to be making any predictions.”
“It’s a nice feeling to know that we’re about to get going again. The adrenaline, the pressure and the tension before a race simply can’t be reproduced during the winter break. That only comes when you are with the team and preparing for the race. I’m really looking forward to getting that rush again, especially because we’re going to have a night race for the first time in Formula E. It’s something new, and I’m looking forward to finding out what this track will be at night and what the lighting conditions will be like. It will certainly create some challenges. All in all, I am going into the weekend in an upbeat mood. I really like the track, as it is one of the most challenging on the Formula E calendar. At the same time, I’ve had some good outcomes here in the past. Hopefully we can build on that and start the season with two good results.”
Nyck de Vries:
“We’ve all been waiting for this moment for a long time. It’s been a while since Berlin, and we would have very much liked to compete in Santiago earlier this year, but for obvious reasons that had to be delayed. So we are all very much looking forward to finally hitting the track and going racing again. We’ve had a lot of time to analyse what we did in Season 6, and we’ve been trying to improve in every area and in every detail. Hopefully, that will bring us a little bit more performance. Anyway, we’re all fired up to face the opposition in Diriyah this week, for the first time this season.”
Source: Mercedes EQ Formula E Team