Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Season 9

  • Nissan confirms driver line-up

    Nissan has announced Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz in their all new driver line-up ahead of Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the first campaign of the Gen3 era.

    Nato, a previous Formula E race winner back in Berlin in Season 6, makes his full-time return to the series with the Japanese manufacturer, having competed in FIA World Endurance Championship in 2022 and stepping in for Jaguar TCS Racing as its reserve driver in Seoul.

    I’m very happy to be making my comeback as a full-time driver in Formula E with Nissan. The Gen3 era will be a new chapter for the championship, and I’m excited to prepare for testing and drive the car. The hard work starts now – I have a lot to learn and areas to develop in with the team to be at my best for the first round of Season 9 in Mexico City.

    Norman Nato on his return.

    Whereas for Fenestraz, next season will mark his first full time campaign in Formula E, following his debut at the final round of season 8 at Dragon / Penske Autosport.

    The French-Argentine racer won the Japanese Formula 3 title in 2019 and continues to compete in both Super Formula and the GT500 class of the Super GT championship. So far in 2022, the 23 year old has taken victory in both championships and currently tops the Super GT standings.

    It’s a dream come true. It will be a big step forward in my career, to move up into a World Championship for the first time and to be competing at such a high level against some of the best drivers in the world. It’s going to be a different challenge for me as it will be my first season in an all-electric car. I’m excited to compete in this championship as street circuits are my favourite, with high risks and no room for errors. As a rookie in a new format, there is a lot of preparation to do and plenty to learn! I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a very long time, and I am very grateful to Nissan for this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started and I’ll do everything to perform as best as I can.

    Sacha Fenestraz on his move.

    This is a significant moment for the team as we commence the Gen3 era, and we are very happy to welcome both Norman and Sacha on board. Season 9 will be our first season competing as one team, following Nissan’s acquisition of e.dams earlier this year, and also the beginning of our partnership with McLaren Racing. This marks a new era for the Nissan Formula E Team, and we believe that a combination of experience and the opportunity to nurture new talent is the right balance for us right now. In Norman and Sacha, we have found two strong drivers to fulfil our vision. Norman has proven to be a very talented driver in Formula E and in other series, and he brings a wealth of experience and skills to the team. As for Sacha, we have monitored his progress and performance over the past few years and have been very impressed. We believe he has great potential and that this is the right time to bring him into to the team. I am convinced that they will complement each other and the team very well. I can’t wait to see them both in action on track in our new Nissan Gen3 car.

    Tommaso Volpe, General Manager, Nissan Formula E.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Chl9IZPIiVk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Da Costa joins Porsche

    Antonio Felix da Costa has joined the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team as their new driver joins Pascal Wehrlein for Season 9.

    Da Costa has competed in Formula E since the inaugural 2014/15 campiagn and strode to the Drivers’ title in Season 6, with the Portuguese driver dominating the unique six-race nine-day Berlin finale.

    The 30 year old has 96 race starts, with seven race wins, 16 podiums and eight Julius Baer Pole Positions to his name.

    Antonio, replaces Andre Lotterer at the German manufacturer. The multiple Le Mans winner and sportscar champion’s best finish was eight in Season 6 – his and Porsche’s first campaign in Formula E.

    It’s like a dream come true. I’m really looking forward to cracking on and winning races for this team. I’ve been beaten by a Porsche many times in my career, and not only in Formula E, so I know that Porsche does everything to win. It’s in the brand’s DNA. I share the same ambition and can hardly wait to bond with the team and work together to ensure a successful start to the Gen3 era.

    Antonio Felix Da Costa on his move.

    I’m delighted that António is coming on board. He has an incredible skill set as a racing driver and has demonstrated many times that he’s a winner, not only in Formula E. We hold him in high regard as a driver and on his own merits as a person. He’s a positive guy who is a great fit for us and the Porsche Motorsport family. I’m confident that we’ll fight for victories and titles together for years to come.

    Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport.

    We’re very much looking forward to working with Antonio. I know him from various racing series and I have a lot of respect for him on a personal level. It’s incredible what he has already achieved in Formula E. We’ll do our utmost to give him a competitive Gen3 car so that he can fight for wins and titles. The team is very much looking forward to welcoming him.

    Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E.

  • Di Grassi signs for Mahindra

    Mahindra Racing has signed the 2016/17 Formula E title winner, Lucas di Grassi to partner Oliver Rowland from next season.

    Di Grassi replaces Alexander Sims who leaves to pursue other opportunities after four seasons in the series and two of those with the Indian outfit. Together, Di Grassi and Rowland will continue on with testing the Mahindra Racing’s Gen3 in their programme.

    From winning the first ever Formula E race on the streets of Beijing back in 2014, to standing on the precipice of his 100th race this weekend, di Grassi has proven a competitive force throughout all 8 seasons.

    The Brazilian has racked up 13 race wins, a record breaking 39 podiums and three Julius Baer Pole Positions which totals to an unrivalled 994 points. In 2016/17 his title winning year, he won it with Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler – with ABT Sportsline set to return from Season 9 and will use Mahindra powertrains.

    Joining Mahindra represents a new challenge in my career and the timing could not be better: with the introduction of Gen3 in season nine of the FIA Formula E World Championship, everyone is starting from scratch. Having a seven-year relationship with ABT Sportsline, in which we won the world championship together, will give us a good springboard – the team will use the Mahindra Racing powered by ZF powertrain and this additional data and my close connection to the engineers will stand us in good stead. The short-term target is to win races and long-term is to help Mahindra Racing to win the world championship and become an icon in electric racing worldwide. We will build an exciting and sustainable future together.

    Di Grassi on his move.

    There’s no doubt that Lucas [Di Grassi] is one of the greatest Formula E drivers in the history of the sport – the stats and the silverware do the talking – but, for us, his appeal is much wider than that. We are the only team that has been net carbon zero since inception, earning us the title of ‘The Greenest Team in Motorsport’, and it is fundamental to our existence that we are driving forward technological developments in electric mobility with passion and knowledge both on- and off-track. We believe Lucas is perfectly positioned to do this and we are ready to get him bedded into our ground-breaking Gen3 programme within the coming weeks. Our ambition is for Mahindra Racing to become FIA Formula E World Champions and Lucas’s experience and drive will be instrumental in achieving this

    Team Principle, Dibagh Gill on signing Di Grassi.

  • Season 9 Calendar revealed

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will expand in Season 9 and the debut of the Gen3 race car to include more E-Prix races in more world cities with more race teams on the Formula E grid than ever before.

    The season 9 provisional calendar was published yesterday by Formula E and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) following ratification by the FIA World Motorsport Council and with the support of local ASNs (National Automobile Clubs) for each city.

    The planned schedule for next season which currently features 18 races between January and July 2023 on street circuits in 13 world cities, beating the previous record of 16 races in 10 different cities.

    RoundCountryDate
    Pre Season TestValencia, SpainDec 11th – 14th
    Round 1Mexico City, MexicoJan 14th
    Round 2Diriyah, Saudi ArabiaJan 27th
    Round 3Diriyah, Saudi ArabiaJan 28th
    Round 4Hyderabad, India*Feb 11th
    Round 5TBDFeb 25th
    Round 6TBDMarch 11th
    Round 7 Sao Paulo, Brazil*March 25th
    Round 8Berlin, GermanyApril 22nd
    Round 9MonacoMay 6th
    Round 10Seoul, South Korea*May 20th
    Round 11Seoul, South Korea*May 21st
    Round 12Jakarta, IndonesiaJune 3rd
    Round 13Jakarta, IndonesiaJune 4th
    Round 14TBDJune 24th
    Round 15Rome, ItalyJuly 15th
    Round 16Rome, ItalyJuly 16th
    Round 17London, UKJuly 29th
    Round 18London, UKJuly 30th
    * Subject to circuit homologation.

    From Round 1 in Mexico City to the climax of Season 9 in London, the stage is set for the most successful Formula E season yet. Engineers and sustainability experts at the FIA and Formula E have worked together to build the Gen3, a race car that proves how high performance and sustainability can powerfully co-exist without compromise. We welcome Maserati back to motorsport for the first time in decades alongside McLaren Racing and the incredible roster of teams and manufacturers that makes Formula E unique. We expect Season 9 to continue our momentum of growing the global fanbase for the sport.

    Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer Formula E.

    The Season 9 calendar of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is our most expansive and dynamic racing schedule yet and I cannot wait to get started. We will continue to push the international boundaries of all-electric street racing with E-Prix in Hyderabad and São Paulo, while maintaining the hugely popular races in Diriyah, Mexico City, Berlin, Monaco, Rome and London with Jakarta and Seoul now established on the calendar. We are also working hard to include Cape Town and a race in the USA when the provisional calendar is updated later this year.

    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer.

  • McLaren to enter Formula E

    McLaren Racing has confirmed that they will be competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from next season, the start of the Gen3 era.

    McLaren, has long committed to competing with the best teams, at the leading edge of technology on the world’s biggest stages. The latest addition to the iconic teams’ racing portfolio is also squarely aimed at accelerating McLaren Racing’s understanding of EV technology as part of their sustainability journey whilst reaching a new, more diverse audience.

    The McLaren Formula E Team will be formed through the acquisition of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, expected to be complete later this year, following an agreement between both teams, that will see the reigning Formula E Word Championship team transfer into the McLaren family.

    Ian James, Team Principle of Mercedes EQ Formula E Team, will continue to lead the team, enabling a smooth transition as the team prepares to feature on the grid, under the iconic McLaren name.

    The name McLaren is among the greatest names in motorsport, since the team’s foundation by Bruce McLaren in 1963, and its Formula 1 debut in 1966, it has amassed 20 Formula 1 World Championship titles, more than 180 Grand Prix wins, three Indianapolis 500 victories and won the Le Mans 24 Hours at their first attempt.

    McLaren Racing always seeks to compete against the best and on the leading edge of technology, providing our fans, partners and people with new ways to be excited, entertained and inspired. As with all forms of the sport we participate in, Formula E has racing at the centre but will be strategically, commercially and technically additive to McLaren Racing overall. I firmly believe that Formula E will give McLaren Racing a competitive advantage through greater understanding of EV racing, while providing a point of difference to our fans, partners and people, and continuing to drive us along our sustainability pathway.

    Zak Brown, McLaren Racing CEO.

    My Opinion-

    Ahhhh finally!! After it being spoke about and rumours flying around, its finally confirmed. Good news for McLaren, now in another championship and they are overtaking the current World Champions.

    It will be interesting to see how the transition goes and who they decide on their driver line-up, could Stoffel Vandoorne be making a return to McLaren?…

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdh0uRDoAJc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  • Avalanche Andretti to be powered by Porsche

    Avalanche Andretti Formula E took to social media to announce that they will be joining forces with Porsche from the start of Season 9.

    Porsche will provide the powertrains and other support services for the Andretti team, under a long-term agreement.

    The agreement will bring the Andretti name and Porsche brand together for the first time since 2008, when the late John Andretti carried the Porsche emblem for the Daytona 24 Hours.

    The manufacturer and family share a storied past, which includes a run at Le Mans that saw the father-son pairing of Mario and Michael Andretti as teammates for one of motorpsort’s most iconic races.

    Our Formula E journey began with Season 1 and we’re very proud to now be looking ahead to the next generation of the sport. Avalanche Andretti FE has an ambition to win, and with the support of Porsche, we have full confidence in our performance and growth. The agreement is an important step in our future and commitment to our sport, partners, and fans. Our history with Porsche as two historic racing teams means this collaboration was a natural fit, and we look forward to a new chapter starting in 2023.

    Michael Andretti, CEO and Chairman Andretti Autorsport.

    Season 9 will be an important year for our team and the series. It was vital that we made a strong choice in our powertrain provider in preparation for this new chapter and exciting generation of car – and we have that in Porsche. We are looking forward to starting Gen3 as a formidable competitor. We remain focused on the rest of this season, we continue our powertrain relationship with BMW, who have been a valued partner to our team and will support us until the end of this season. We’ve had many successes together through the years and thank them for both their partnership and friendship.

    Roger Griffiths, Team Principle Avalanche Andretti Formula E.

    It’s important for us to support a customer team that demonstrates the same passion and professionalism in Formula E as we do. Avalanche Andretti has raced in Formula E since the inaugural 2014 season. For us, it’s a huge vote of confidence that one of the most experienced teams has chosen to work alongside Porsche from Season 9 onwards and wants to field two Porsche 99X Electric racers. Porsche and Andretti are united by a long tradition, and it all started when Mario and Michael made their Le Mans debuts in a Porsche 956 in 1983. We’re delighted that the tradition is continuing in Formula E, and we hope our partnership will be just as successful.

    Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport.

  • ABT Sportsline returns to Formula E

    ABT Sportsline has confirmed it will return to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from the beginning of the Gen3 era, starting next year.

    The German outfit will enter as a customer team after having been a fixture throughout the championship’s first seven seasons. Despite a hiatus in Season 8, following the exit of Audi ABT can still count itself among the most successful teams in Formula E history, with 47 podiums and 1,380 points to its name.

    The team won the first ever Formula E race in Beijing in 2014, whilst Lucas di Grassi steered to the Drivers’ title in 2017, ABT then sealed the Teams’ crown a season later and partnered with Audi between 2017 and 2021.

    ABT has already secured a powertrain supplier for 2023, which they will announce shortly and discussions are already underway as the privateer aims to secure a pair of ‘clever’ drivers to leverage every possible advantage at the start of Formula E’s new era.

    Formula E has always had a big place in our hearts and we have never made a secret of the fact that we want to be back. After the internal kick-off, we are now talking to our current and potential partners. The goal is to bring a strong team to the championship, both on and off track.

    Hans- Juergen Abt, Managing Partner.

    We have always been in contact with Formula E, had many discussions and have received great support from the whole team around Alejandro (Agag), Alberto (Longo) and Jamie (Reigle). As far as our two drivers are concerned, we have very clear ideas. We will probably start the 2023 season as underdogs, unlike last time as a factory team. That’s why it’s all the more important that we have quick and clever drivers in the cockpit, who fit in well with us. The first talks are exciting and very positive, so I’m sure we’ll have our team together soon.

    Thomas Biermaie, CEO ABT.

    Formula E is the pinnacle of all-electric motorsport so it’s natural that teams and manufacturers leading the electric mobility revolution want to be part of the championship. In Season 9 we will introduce two game-changing developments designed to enhance the appeal of racing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. First, we debut the Gen3 race car which will set the standard in performance, efficiency and sustainability. Second, we introduce new financial regulations to underpin competitive balance and financial sustainability for our teams. Together, they create an environment for competitive racing and long-term growth. We look forward to seeing ABT embrace these opportunities as they return to Formula E in Gen3.

    Jamie Reigle, Formula E CEO.

  • Sao Paulo set to host first E-Prix

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and the City of Sao Paulo, alongside SPTuris and GL Events, signed a contract at the Monaco E-Prix that will see the all electric series head to Brazil, subject to the FIA’s approval.

    The five year agreement, as well as the option to renew, this means that the city of Sao Paulo could play host to the world’s foremost electric motorsport championship from Season 9- the beginning of Formula E’s new era, Gen3.

    Formula E has already unveiled its round in Cape Town for next season, whilst the postponed Vancouver is also set to make its first appearance on the calendar next year, the Indian city of Hyderabad also has an agreement to host a race.

    This isn’t the first time Sao Paulo potentially will be seen on the calendar, as it has previously been on a provisional calendar and was set to host a race in the 2017-18 season before being dropped for Punta del Este.

    “We are delighted that the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be heading to Brazil for the very first time pending approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council in June. The country has a huge, long-standing passion for motorsport, it’s a big market as one of the largest countries in the world, and São Paulo itself is a historic race location. “We can’t wait to welcome the Brazilian fans, they are like no other and there is sure to be a lively, unique atmosphere as the fans enjoy Formula E racing with the leap forward in technology and performance we are going to see with Gen3.

    Alberto Longo, Formula E Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer.

    The news of São Paulo hosting the next generation of Formula E is music to my ears. Not only does this milestone signify the return of the pinnacle of electric motorsport to South America but it’s an important step towards the electrification of the Brazilian automotive market. On a personal note, there is nothing like the pride and incredible energy of the Brazilian racing fans so it would be a dream come true for me to race in this game-changing championship in front of a home crowd.

    Lucas di Grassi, ROKiT Venturi Brazilian Driver.
  • Gen3 Car Revealed

    Gen3 Car Revealed

    The future of all-electric high performance motorsport was revealed today at the Yacht Club de Monaco by Formula E and the Fedration Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), where the third generation Formula E car was revealed to the public.

    The Gen 3 car is the world’s first race car which is designed for street racing, it will be debuting for Season 9 (next year) where some of the world’s greatest manufacturers race wheel to wheel on the streets of iconic global cities.

    It was developed by engineers and sustainability experts at both the FIA and Formula E, the car is designed to show the world that both high performance and sustainability can powerfully co-exist without any compromise.

    Seven of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers have registered with the FIA to race the Gen 3 car in Season 0 with pre-season testing this winter. They are:

    • DS Automobiles, France
    • Jaguar, UK
    • Mahindra Racing, India
    • Maserati, Italy
    • NIO 33, UK & China
    • Nissan, Japan
    • Porsche AG, Germany.

    Design, engineering and the production innovations for the Gen3 car include but not all:

    Performance:

    • Fastest Formula E car yet with a top speed over 322 kph/ 200 mph.
    • Round 95% power efficiency from an electric motor delivering up to 350kW of power.
    • First ever formula car with both front and rear powertrains.

    Sustainability:

    • Gen3 batteries are among the most advanced, sustainable batteries ever made.
    • Linen and recycled carbon fibre will be used in bodywork construction for the first time in a formula car.
    • All Gen3 suppliers will operate in line with top international standards to reduce environmental impacts of manufacturing.

    Both technologically and environmentally, Gen3 sets new standards in the sport. The FIA and Formula E development teams have done a superb job, and I thank them for their hard work on this project. I am delighted to see so many leading manufacturers already signed up to the championship’s next era and await Gen3’s competitive debut in Season 9 with great anticipation.

    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President.

    Monaco is the spiritual home of motorsport and there is nowhere more fitting to unveil our Gen3 race car. The Gen3 disrupts and challenges the conventions of motorsport, setting the benchmark for performance, efficiency and sustainability without compromise. Together with the FIA, we are proud to reveal the Gen3 to Formula E fans and demonstrate to the wider sports industry how elite sport, high performance and sustainability can successfully co-exist in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. We cannot wait to see how our teams and drivers push the car to its limit in 2023.

    Jamie Reigle, Chief Executive Officer Formula E.

    My Opinion-

    What a car!! Love the way it looks, I can’t wait to see how the team’s livery will look on the Gen3 car and to see it on track! It’s definitely a step forward in being a sustainable sport which is nice to see.

  • Nissan acquires e.dams

    Nissan has announced the acquisition of the Le Mans based e.dams race team, with the Japanese manufacturer taking full ownership of its involvement in Formula E.

    Nissan’s competition in Formula E supports its long-term commitment to electrification and sustainability laid out in Nissan’s Ambition 2030 plan. The Japanese company outlines the acquisition and taking full control of its Formula E project as the natural next step.

    Nissan first entered Formula E back in 2018, in partnership with e.dams with both companies racing together in the all electric championship as the Nissan e.dams Formula E Team. In March 2021, the Japanese automaker announced its commitment to the Formula E Gen3 era, which runs from Season 9.

    In partnership with Renault, e.dams took the first three Formula E Team’s titles and helped Sebastien Buemi to the 2015/16 Drivers’ Championship, with a best of second spot overall since combining forces with Nissan.

    The change in ownership and new management structure will take place with immediate effect. Tommaso Volpe, General Manager of Nissan Formula E, will also become managing director at e.dams.

    I am delighted that Nissan is taking over e.dams and today we are thinking of Jean-Paul Driot who, together with Nissan, had the vision for the team and helped to develop our partnership. Since his passing in 2019, Olivier and Gregory Driot took over and made sure the legacy of their father’s success would continue. It has been a pleasure working together and I would like to thank them for their commitment and support. This is an important step in our Formula E project. As the pinnacle of all-electric racing, Formula E gives us an engaging global platform from which we can show customers that EVs are not only fun and thrilling, but also that Nissan continues to be at the cutting edge of EV technology. We were happy to enter the sport in 2018 in partnership with e.dams. We have had a strong and successful collaboration, and we have learnt a great deal from their long-term experience in the series.We have a fantastic team in place, and we are looking forward to building on our success and experience together as a team, and to beginning this new chapter in our Formula E involvement.

    Volpe said speaking of the news.

    These are exciting times for all of us at Nissan, our fans and customers everywhere. We have been on the grid for over 85 years, and our desire to win continuously accelerates us forward. We learn as we race, and the relentless pace of technological progression that drives the Formula E championship will provide us with many opportunities to inform and develop even better cars for customers. The acquisition of the e.dams team not only reconfirms our long-term commitment to Formula E, but also to the exciting, high-performance world of motorsports competition as a whole. But we don’t only love to compete. We’re also passionate about delivering innovative and exciting driving experiences while demonstrating our commitment to zero emission and sustainable solutions. This acquisition will further empower us in the strategic electrification objectives of our business.

    Ashwani Gupta, Nissan Chief Operating Officer.

  • Maserati & Rokit Venturi to partner

    Maserati and ROKiT Venturi Racing have announced a multi year partnership, ahead of this weekends Rome double-header, which will see the Italian manufacturer and Monegasque Formula E team link up from Season 9 of the Formula E World Championship.

    When it joins the Gen3 era, Maserati will become the first Italian brand to compete in Formula E, as it ends a 60 year hiatus from single-seater motorsport.

    The marque will unite with ROKiT Venturi Racing for the series’ next generation, with the Gen3 set to be the fastest, lightest and most powerful but yet the most sustainable electric single-seat race car yet.

    ROKiT Venturi, have been in a partnership with Mercedes EQ since the 2019-20 season. Mercedes are leaving Formula E after this season, as they are going to concentrate on its works on motorsport activities in Formula 1.

    Uniting with Maserati marks the start of a new chapter and represents the best possible outcome for the team following our successful partnership with Mercedes-EQ. Being entrusted with the return of one of motorsport’s most recognisable brands to international single-seater competition underlines our success in recent seasons in which we have firmly established ourselves as a commercially viable, race-winning team that can seriously contend for championships.With this commitment, the team is now in a fantastic position to contest Formula E’s next generation of competition which will commence in 2023.

    Susie Wolff, CEO & Managing Partner, ROKiT Venturi Racing.

    Returning to motorsport with Formula E was a natural choice for Maserati. We are driven by our passion and innovation and we’re happy to share this adventure with a partner that abides by the same values as we do and is looking ahead to the future, just like us. We share with the ROKiT Venturi Racing team the same determination and desire to compete and win on circuits all over the world

    Davide Grasso, Maserati CEO.

    Partnering with Maserati for Gen3 is brilliant news. It’s excellent for the team, for Maserati and Formula E, but above all else, it’s fantastic news for the fans who will witness the return of an iconic marque to top-tier motorsport. Not only does this establish strong foundations for our long-term future in Formula E, but it also marks one of the most exciting stories in international sport in which a prestigious brand is returning to its roots by joining the most progressive and fastest-growing form of motorsport.

    Scott Swid, Chairman & Managing Partner, ROKiT Venturi Racing.

    My Opinion-

    Great move from Venturi! They knew they were going to be looking for a new partnership, as Mercedes were leaving. But it was also a great choice from Maserati too, Venturi have developed themselves into a race winning team, in which they can now fight to be championship contenders.

  • Gen3 race car to be unveiled next month

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Gen3 race car will be unveiled at the Yacht Club de Monaco on the 28th April, ahead of the 2022 Monaco E-Prix.

    The Gen3 car is set to race from Season 9, is going to be presented to manufactures, teams, drivers, partners and other VIP guests at the event. Fans will be able to also experience the show via the championships digital channels and get an in-depth look into it.

    The Gen3 car is evidence of the progress in EV development achieved in the championship. Formula E has worked closely with the FIA and industry-leading engineers and experts in sustainability to ensure the car will also set the benchmark for sustainability in his performance race cars.

    The car is the first ever Formula car aligned to Life Cycle Thinking, with a designed second life for tyres, broken parts and battery cells. Additionally, the Gen3 will be net-zero carbon- reinforcing Formula E’s statuses at the first sport series to be net-zero carbon from inception.

    Need to know about the Gen3:

    • A electric motor delivering up to 350kw of power, capable of a top speed of 200mph, with a power-to-weight ratio that is twice as efficent as an equivalent 470BHP internal combustion engine (ICE).
    • At least 40% of energy used within a race will be produced by regenerative braking during the race.
    • The first Formula car with both front and rear powertrains: a new front powertrain adds 250kW to the 350kW at the rear.
    • The first Formula car that will not feature rear hydraulic brakes due to the addition of the front powertrain and its regenerative capability.
    • Lighter and smaller than the Gen2 to enable faster and more agile wheel-to-wheel racing.

    Formula E’s Gen3 race car represents a leap forward for motorsport and electric mobility. Designed to demonstrate that high performance, efficiency and sustainability can be packaged together without compromise, the Gen3 car is our most powerful, lightest, and fastest race car to date. We look forward to finally taking the covers off the Gen3 in Monaco, a location steeped in motor racing history, and seeing the car light up city streets around the world next season.

    Jamie Reigle, Formula E CEO.

    The arrival of the Gen3 is the latest momentous step of an incredible journey for the championship. We have come a long way – as electric vehicles have – in less than a decade. And we are not stopping as we bring together industry leaders to imagine the possibilities of the future of all-electric single-seater motorsport.

    Alejandro Agag, Formula E Founder and Chairman

  • Cape Town track revealed

    The proposed race track for Cape Towns inaugural Formula E World Championship E-Prix has been revealed by Formula E and e-Movement Ltd.

    Subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, the all-electric race cars will wind their way through the Green Point and Waterfront district, showcasing some of Cape Town’s most famous locations.

    The track is to be predicted one of the fastest in the series and Cape Town is joining the likes of Monaco, Mexico City, Berlin, London and NY as city centres hosting an Formula E World Championship race.

    Cape Town is set to become the first sub Saharan African city to host a round of the electric championship next year during the 9th Season- with the full calendar and dates being released later in the year.

    The Cape Town E-Prix will start at the Green Point precinct’s Vlei Road, where the field of world-class drivers will race with Signal Hill as a backdrop. Then it’s a left turn into Helen Suzman Boulevard, and another left into Granger Bay Boulevard, presenting the racers with two sharp chicanes. The drivers will then head along the ocean front on Mouille Point’s Beach Road, before taking a sharp left-hander into Fritz Sonnenberg Road and a final right to reach the finish line.

    Alberto Longo, Co-founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said: “We’ve had a very positive response within our ecosystem of teams, drivers and sponsors about coming to Cape Town, so we are delighted that the City is joining our Season 9 calendar. When I first met Iain Banner [Chairman of race promoter e-Movement (Pty) Ltd] in 2019, he said that he was confident that Cape Town had the potential to be one of the top cities on our global calendar. This is my first visit to South Africa and having now seen the beauty of the Mother City, I feel confident that he is right.”

    Iain Banner, Chairman, race promoter e-Movement (Pty) Ltd, said: “The public has been crying out for an open-wheel, street-circuit race and we are now answering those cries. With Table Mountain as the backdrop and Robben Island in the foreground, I have no doubt the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will garner substantial support in Cape Town and throughout South Africa.”

  • Maserati returns to motorsport

    Maserati have announced that they will be joining the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship from Season 9, where the debut of the Gen3, Formula E’s most powerful car yet.

    The arrival of Maserati Trident on the grid will put a end to an absence of more than 60 years out of motorsport to an end, the team is set to make history for being the first Italian brand to compete in Formula E.

    Looking back on the past…

    Like many car manufactures, motorsport and competition is in Maserati’s DNA, the company was born on track with the Maserati brothers jumping in the car for their racing debut.

    The iconic Maserati Trident badge first made an appearance in the 1926 Targa Florio- an endurance race in the Sicilian mountains and won its class with Alfieri Maserati.

    In 1957, Juan Manuel Fangio sealed the Formula 1 World Championship for Maserati. The last time of its single seaters was seen on track was in 1958 where Maria Teresa de Filippis was in the car and was the first woman to qualify for an F1 Grand Prix.

    “We are very proud to be back where we belong as protagonists in the world of racing. We are powered by passion and innovative by nature. We have a long history of world-class excellence in competition and we are ready to drive performance in the future,” said Davide Grasso, Maserati CEO.

    Formula E CEO Jamie Reigle said: “We are delighted Maserati will join the Gen3 era of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship and play a defining role reimagining the future of motorsport. Formula E races in the heart of the most iconic cities in the world and is followed passionately by a progressive global audience. Our millions of fans will be thrilled to see Maserati line up on the grid as one of the world’s elite electric car brands.”

    My Opinion-

    I think this is great for lots of reasons, having another team in Formula E is good especially after Mercedes leaving this year. But to have an iconic car manufacturer and the fact they have been in motorsport before is just an added bonus to Formula E and fans!