Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Robin Frijns

  • Robin Frijns to leave Envision

    Envision Racing and Robin Frijns have announced that they’re set to part ways after their most recent two-season spell together.

    Frijns rejoined the outfit at the start of Season 10 after a campaign with ABT CUPRA. The Dutchman had spent four successful seasons with Envision prior to that where he tallied two wins and 10 podiums.
    Since the end of his first Envision spell, though, Frijns has found results hard to come by, with just three second places in 2024 with the Jagaur-powered Envision.

    The two-time race winner is not expected to find a seat elsewhere in Formula E and looks set to concentrate on his BMW factory drive in the World Endurance Championship.

    Envision will confirm a replacement for Frijns next month alongside Sebastien Buemi, who is set to get a fourth season with the team after finishing 12th overall – a campaign that included a first Formula E victory in almost six years in Monaco and two other podiums, in Jakarta and London.

    Throughout Robin’s six seasons with Envision Racing, he has delivered excellent results and cracking drives, and we have thoroughly enjoyed working with such a talented driver. His two victories and numerous podiums stand-out, but also his raw speed and ability to deliver a lap when it mattered. He’s been a fierce competitor and a valued part of our team. Formula E is an ever-evolving championship, and for us, the time has come for an exciting new change. We look forward to announcing our Season 12 line-up shortly.
    Team Principal, Sylvain Fillipi.

    Robin has been an integral part of our success here at Envision Racing, going back to Season 5 when he first joined the team. He has achieved a lot of brilliant results, and we thank him for his commitment to our team over the six seasons. We wish him well in his future endeavours.
    Franz Jung, CEO & Chairman of the Board of Envision Racing.

  • Envision stick with Buemi & Frijns

    Envision Racing are pleased to confirm an unchanged driver line-up for Season 11 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
    Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns will continue with the team for Season 11.

    After a campaign of highs and lows, both Buemi and Frijns ended Season 10 in extremely positive fashion – bringing home three podiums across the final four races.

    Buemi and Frijns are among the most experienced drivers in Formula E, having competed in 229 races in the championship, with 99 of those while driving for Envision.

    The team is one of the most successful in the sport, having accumulated more podium finishes (53) and points (1723) through 10 seasons than any other competitor.

    In the closing stages of Season 10, Frijns secured a double podium weekend in Portland, where he brought home two second place finishes.
    This was then followed by teammate Buemi clinching the final step of the podium in London.
    The team finished sixth in the overall Teams’ World Championship standings.

    It’s great to have continuity in our driver line-up as Sébastien and Robin lead us into Season 11. Despite Season 10 not being our strongest year, we are confident that the momentum we gained in the closing rounds can be taken into next season and put us back where we want to be.
    Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director & CTO of Envision Racing.

    As a team, we improved significantly towards the end of last season to get back to the front of the grid, and the results showed this. We will continue to push to ensure that we head to Sao Paulo with the same level of competitiveness.
    Buemi on the news.

    I started off Season 10 relatively strong, with a podium in Round 3, however it took some time to adjust to the new car and style of racing. We worked extremely hard to make that adjustment and by the end were fighting at the front again, so our focus now is on continuing that into next season.
    Frijns added.

  • Robin Frijns returns to Envision

    Robin Frijns will be returning to Envision Racing for Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

    The Dutchman, twice a Formula E race winner, enjoyed a four season spell with the team between Seasons 5 and 8.

    He then spent this season with ABT CUPRA, with the Spanish manufacturer’s first foray into the championship at the start of the Gen3 era and on ABT’s return to competition in the world’s top tier electric racing series.

    It’s a return which makes sense, with the new that Nick Cassidy will be replacing Sam Bird at Jaguar TCS Racing – and Frijns is wasting no time in stating his intentions of steering the team to further title silverware in Season 10.

    Frijns’ two E-Prix wins came at Envision Racing in his inaugural season with the squad at the Paris E-Prix and the season-finale New York City E-Prix – helping the team to fourth position in the teams standings.

    In Season 7, Frijns ran right at the sharp end throughout, winding up fifth in the Drivers’ running having challenged for the championship for much of the season.

    Season 8 saw the 32 year old turn in ever more consistent performances – once again running right at the front for much of the campaign with seven second-placed finishes and three further podiums.

    I’m really excited about getting started again with Envision Racing after a year away from the team, it really does feel like coming home. It will be great to be joining a championship-winning team. Envision Racing have been fighting at the top pretty much every season, and I can’t wait to get started. We have a great car, and the aim is to be competitive, which I am sure we will be, and I am driving to win the championship.

    Frijns coming back.

    It is great to have Robin back with the team after one year away. He enjoyed some memorable moments with Envision Racing over the years and was always pushing at the front and regularly fishing on the podium. The combination of Robin and Sébastien will be a strong one, and we can’t wait to get started for Season 10.

    Sylvain Filippi, Envision Racing’s Managing Director and CTO.

  • Robin Frijns leaves ABT CUPRA

    ABT CUPRA have confirmed that Robin Frijns will be moving on from the team after spending the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with the returning squad.

    Just before Round 16, at the London E-Prix, Team boss Thomas Biermaier confirmed to ProSieben – Formula E’s German broadcast partner that the Dutchman will be moving on.

    The team added that it expects to decide who will take over the cockpit alongside Nico Mueller – who outscored his teammate and indeed managed a top eight finish in the final round of the season – in the coming weeks.

    The experienced Dutchman’s 2022/23 didn’t go as well as either party would have hoped. The ABT CUPRA’s Mahindra powertrain lacked pace and efficiency at times but Mueller comfortably outscored his teammate on his return to the series.

    Frijns did of course, miss four races after fracturing his had at the season-opener at the Mexico City E-Prix.
    He wound up Season 9 with just two points scores and six total to Mueller’s 15, though Julius Baer Pole Position on home soil for ABT in Berlin was a real highlight.

    Robin will be leaving us. His plans for the future don’t quite match ours, and you’ll have to ask him where he’s heading! After an open discussion, ABT and Frijns have agreed to terminate the contract so that he can concentrate on his future tasks. Robin was, is and will always remain a friend and member of the ABT family. He played an important role in our comeback with his great experience, although it was a difficult year for him after the accident at the start of the season. Now we wish him all the best for the new challenges.

    Thomas Biermaier on Robin leaving.

  • Frijns to sit out of Cape Town E-Prix

    After sustaining a hand fracture earlier this season, ABT CUPRA’s Robin Frijns has announced that he will also be sitting out this weekend’s trip to Cape Town.

    So Kelvin van der Linde continues in his spot, and what perfect timing as it’s Formula E’s first visit to South Africa for a ‘home’ Cape Town E-Prix

    Since the incident, which occurred during the first lap of the season-opener in Mexico, Frijns has been sharing updates of his recovery with fans online.

    Frijns had set himself the goal of racing at the upcoming round in South Africa. However, Kelvin van der Linde will continue as the reserve driver for the ABT CUPRA team.

    Frijns who has competed in 77 Formula E races will be hoping he’s ready to race at the next E-Prix which is Sao Paulo on the 25th March.

    We did the preparation in the simulator, which all went pretty smoothly. But after a few more checks on my hand, it seems that my bone has not fully healed just yet. It is a hard one to make, knowing the effort I put into this, but I will be back.

    Frijns on his injury.

  • ABT confirm line-up

    ABT Sportsline has secured what it calls its “dream duo” for its Formula E return, with Robin Frijns set to join from Envision Racing with Nico Mueller alongside.

    Both can call ABT home, with each driver having hugely successful spells in the German Touring Car Championship – DTM – whilst the pair has significant experience in Formula E, with 91 races under their belt between them.

    Robin and Nico were our absolute dream team right from the start, because they have everything we need for our Formula E comeback: speed, experience and the right spirit. If we want to hold our own against the big factory teams in the new season, we need a small and powerful team. And that’s where Robin and Nico fit in perfectly.

    Hans-Juergen Abt, Managing Partner of ABT.

    Mueller raced for ABT in DTM between 2016 and 2021, scoring 31 podiums, 10 wins and he twice finished runner-up in the championship standings. He raced 17 times for Dragon / Penske Autosport in Season 6 and 7 and supported the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team team with testing and simulator work.

    After our great years together in the DTM, I’m really looking forward to this new chapter with ABT and to my return to Formula E. I’m also racing together with Robin, with whom I simply had a great time on and off the track – I think there are some good ingredients coming together that will put us in a good position for this new challenge. Personally, I still have a score to settle with Formula E after my difficult year and a half anyway, and I’m happy to have the chance to settle it together with this team.

    Nico Mueller on his return.

    Frijns is a triple race-winner for ABT in DTM as well as 18 podiums also to his name. The Dutchman joins from Envision Racing, having previously raced for Andretti in Formula E over a six-season career in the series with two wins to his name.

    I know the ABT team and Nico from the DTM, where we had a great atmosphere in the team and were very successful. That’s exactly how we want to continue in Formula E. Of course, it is a big step for all of us and we will have to learn a lot and quickly but I have full confidence in the ABT team, which has caused a stir in every racing series in its history. It’s great to be a part of it again.

    Robin Frijns on his move.