(Audi Communications Motorsport/Michael Kunkel)
The new Formula E season begins next Saturday (December 15) in Ad Diriyah, on the outskirts of the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. This will mark the fifth season of the fully electric racing series. The Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team will field the newly developed Audi e-tron FE05 for drivers Daniel Abt and Lucas di Grassi. Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler captured the teams’ championship title last season. The opener in Ad Diriyah marks the beginning of a new era in Formula E, with the cars able to run the entire race distance on one battery charge due to the larger battery capacity of the new generation car. A new “Attack Mode” is available to drivers for the new season. When a driver passes through the “activation zone” on the race track, the power output of the driver's car will receive a short-term boost to 225 kW (306 hp). The FIA determines the number of activations and their duration individually for each race and announces them only just before the race starts. The race distance for the new season will always be 45 minutes plus 1 lap. The power output in race mode increases from 180 kW to 200 kW. Editor-in-Chief's Note: We're running this item as an FYI only. We find FE to be unwatchable and of zero interest. -PMD
(Audi Communications Motorsport/Michael Kunkel)
(Audi Communications Motorsport/Michael Kunkel)(BMW)
The BMW i Andretti Motorsport will also make its first appearance at the Ad Diriyah E-Prix, the fifth season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. It also marks the first race appearance for the BMW iFE.18 race car with its BMW i powertrain. Alexander Sims and António Félix da Costa will be the drivers. Sims will be competing in his first Formula E season, while Félix da Costa will enter his fifth year in the fully-electric racing series. BMW i, as “Official Vehicle Partner” of Formula E, will provide the safety car fleet for all races.
The BMW i Andretti Motorsport will also make its first appearance at the Ad Diriyah E-Prix, the fifth season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. It also marks the first race appearance for the BMW iFE.18 race car with its BMW i powertrain. Alexander Sims and António Félix da Costa will be the drivers. Sims will be competing in his first Formula E season, while Félix da Costa will enter his fifth year in the fully-electric racing series. BMW i, as “Official Vehicle Partner” of Formula E, will provide the safety car fleet for all races.