Hong Kong kick-off for Formula E
Di Grassi expects tough fight Big names join packed grid
AS other motorsport championships start their winter break, the fourth season of the FIA Formula E electric series begins this weekend in Hong Kong.
Reigning champion Lucas di Grassi, who remains with the Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler squad, is expecting to be challenged by several teams. “I have strong expectations of Renault and Mahindra,” he said last week. “At the same time, we should have Virgin, Andretti andnd Jaguar on our radar as well. There are at least five or six teams in contention for winning races.
“In addition, in Andre Lotterer, Edoardo Mortara and Kamuiui Kobayashi there’ll be some strong new drivers, so it’s near-nearimpossible to makeake any predictions. The only thing we can be sure of is that this will be the hardest-t-fought season yet.”
Di Grassi’s team-m-mate at Audi will once again be Danielaniel Abt, while three-time teams’ champion Renault e.dams is also fielding an unchanged nged line-up, consisting g of Sebastien Buemi emi and Nicolas Prost. .
The Andretti team’s alliance with BMW has strengthened this season, with factory drivers Antonio Felix da Costa and Tom Blomqvist on boardard – although the latter will be replacedced by Kamui Kobayashi in a one-off deal for the Hon Hong Kong round. DS Virgin is fielding an all all-british line-up of Sam Bird and Alex Lyn Lynn, while Jerome D’ambrosio and WEC sta star Neel Jani turn out for Dragon Racing.
Jaguar has signed season-one champion Nel Nelson Piquet Jr to join Kiwi Mitch Evans, whi while Mahindra partners Nick Heidfeld wit with versatile Swede Felix Rosenqvist.
Chinese squad NIO has Oliver Turvey and Italian Luca Filippi, while Jean-eric Vergne and Audi Le Mans legend Andre Lotterer are leading the Techeetah effort.
Finally, Mercedes-benz factory drivers Maro Engel and Edoardo Mortara have seats with Venturi, in anticipation of the brand’s arrival in Formula E as a full works squad for the 2019-20 season.
Viewers in the UK can catch the weekend’s races on Channel 5 or Eurosport, at 9am on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
“Predictions are impossible. The only thing that we can be sure of is that this will be the hardest-fought season yet” Lucas di Grassi Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler