ALEXANDER SIMS JOINS MAHINDRA RACING
19 AUGUST 2020, BANBURY, UK – Mahindra Racing is delighted to welcome Formula E race winner Alexander Sims to the team to compete in the 2020/21 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Highly-experienced in both single-seaters and sports cars, Alexander has achieved success across both types of racing. In his debut year in single-seaters he finished second in the 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship, and in the same year won the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.
Success continued when he made the move to sports cars in 2012, with accolades including victory in the 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa, and taking Vice Champion honours in the 2015 British GT Championship and the 2017 ADAC Zurich 24 Hour Race at the Nürburgring. He also took race wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2018.
The 32-year-old Londoner has been involved in Formula E since the series’ inception in 2014, initially testing cars before securing a race seat in Season 5 with BMW i Andretti Motorsport. Highlights in his first season included a pole position and second place finish in New York. Alexander had an impressive start to his second season, taking pole positions for both races of the opening round in Saudi Arabia and taking his maiden win in race two. It also made him the first driver to take three consecutive pole positions in Formula E.
Alongside his Formula E racing activities, Sims is a passionate advocate for sustainability and electric mobility on the road, having owned and driven EVs since 2012 and aims to incorporate sustainable choices into his daily lifestyle.
Mahindra Racing would also like to confirm that Jerome D’Ambrosio will not continue with the team into Season 7. In his two years with the team, the popular Belgian scored an unforgettable race victory in Marrakesh as well as a fantastic podium on his debut with Mahindra. The team would like to thank Jerome for his contribution and wish him well for the future.
Mahindra Racing will announce its full driver line up for Season 7 in due course.
(Information source & image credit: Mahindra Racing)
MAHINDRA RACING WRAPS UP 2019/20 FORMULA E SEASON IN BERLIN
13 AUGUST 2020, BERLIN, GERMANY – The 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship wrapped up this evening after ‘The Season Six Finale’, which saw six races take place in just nine days on three different circuit configurations. In the fiercely contested event, which saw teams racing against one another after a five month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahindra Racing fielded Jérôme D’Ambrosio and Alex Lynn, the latter of which made his debut for the team.
Across the six races, Mahindra Racing was able to notch up five Super Pole appearances (three for Alex, two for Jérôme) and five points scoring results (three for Alex, two for Jérôme), including a fifth placed finish for Alex in Round 10, which marked the best result of his Formula E career.
Ahead of the event, Team Principal Dilbagh Gill tested positive for COVID-19. Team Manager David Clarke and Chief Engineer Toni Cuquerella deputised in the garage whilst Dilbagh had a direct communications link from his hotel room where he self-isolated for the duration of the event. All other team members received a negative result and Dilbagh has now been released from quarantine and is healthy and well.
At the end of an unprecedented and challenging season, Mahindra Racing finished in ninth position in the teams’ championship with 49 points, leapfrogging Venturi Racing after round 10. Jérôme D’Ambrosio took 16th in the drivers’ standings with 19 points and Alex Lynn, with just six races contested this season, moved up to finish just behind his teammate in 17th with 16 points.
(Information source & image credit: Mahindra Racing)
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX: RACE 6
A disappointing end to Season 6 for ROKiT Venturi Racing
IN NUMBERS
| Edoardo Mortara
Practice 3 // P12 Qualifying // P6 Race // P10 Championship // P14 [41 points] |
| Felipe Massa
Practice 3 // P10 Qualifying // P11 Race // P16 Championship // P22 [3 points] |
ROKiT Venturi Racing
Championship // P10 [44 points]
IN DETAIL
266 days on from 2019/20 season-opener in Diriyah, ROKiT Venturi Racing concluded its sixth campaign in Formula E at the historic Tempelhof Airport where the final leg of the championship’s six-part Berlin showdown took place.
After a challenging week of racing in the German capital, drivers Edoardo Mortara and Felipe Massa launched their qualifying efforts from the third and fourth groups. While Felipe took P11, Edo progressed through to Super Pole to secure P6 on the grid.
With an encouraging start, Edo moved into P5 on lap 1 after overtaking Robin Frijns as Felipe maintained P11, closing in on the points-paying positions with Lucas di Grassi ahead.
Edo continued to show encouraging pace by remaining in-touch with Rene Rast in front, however, mounting pressure from behind resulted in the Swiss-Italian slipping through the field, ultimately taking P10 after a late-race surge to the points.
In what was his final E-Prix for ROKiT Venturi Racing, Felipe battled hard but took P16 after struggling for pace over the course of the 45-minute + 1 lap finale.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Today was a very, very disappointing end to the season for us. Our pace at the start was encouraging, especially with Edo moving up to P5, but as the race evolved, our struggles became increasingly apparent. We were lucky to take home a point today. I would like to wish a huge congratulations to Mercedes-Benz – our powertrain partner – for their 1-2 result today and for finishing in P3 in the championship which is an incredible achievement.”
Edoardo Mortara
“Our qualifying pace was good to today but I was too conservative on my Super Pole lap. From P6, I was able to make a good start to overtake Frijns and I was in a promising position after closing in on Rast. Unfortunately, in the long-run, I couldn’t maintain my early pace so lost a lot of places. I think we were lucky to finish P10 today but realistically that’s the most we could expect.”
Felipe Massa
“At the beginning, the race seemed normal and I held onto my starting position. I was following the cars in front but didn’t have the pace to overtake which left me in a stalemate. After I took Attack Mode, I lost more positions and struggled for speed for the rest of the race – it was a disaster. It could have been possible to fight for P10 or P11 at most, but today, that was not achievable.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
VANDOORNE TAKES HIS AND MERCEDES-BENZ EQ’S FIRST FORMULA E VICTORY IN FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX (RD 11)
FAST FACTS
– Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL) and Mercedes-Benz EQ take first victory together in final race of the season with a one-two for the team as Nyck de Vries (NLD) achieves his first Formula E podium.
– One-two finish lifts Mercedes-Benz EQ into third place overall in the teams’ standings in their debut season behind DS TECHEETAH and Nissan e.dams.
– Vandoorne takes second place in the drivers’ championship overall behind winner Antonio Felix da Costa and former champion Jean-Eric Vergne secures third after climbing 14 places in the race to finish seventh.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
FELIPE MASSA LEAVES ROKiT VENTURI RACING
Brazilian star calls time on his two-season stint with the team
IN DETAIL
With the Season 6 finale in Berlin having now reached its conclusion, ROKiT Venturi Racing and Felipe Massa would like to take this opportunity to announce that the Brazilian star will not be continuing with the Monegasque marque for Season 7 of the FIA Formula E World Championship.
During his two-season stint with the team, Felipe made five Super Pole qualifying appearances and secured eight top-ten race finishes – including a memorable podium at the team’s home E-Prix in Monaco in Season 5 – collecting a total of 39 championship points in the process.
IN WORDS
Felipe Massa
“Leaving a team is never an easy decision to make. We’ve made some good memories together and it’s given me the opportunity to learn something completely different from what I’m used to, so first of all I want to thank [Venturi President] Gildo [Pastor] and [Team Principal] Susie [Wolff] for their faith in me. It’s been an honour to be part of the only motorsport team from the Principality, and representing them on the podium at the Monaco E-Prix was a definite highlight for me. The past two seasons have been a big learning curve for us all and unfortunately, for various reasons, we haven’t quite achieved what we hoped. Despite that, it’s been a lot of fun and I wish the team nothing but the very best of luck for the future. I look forward to announcing my future plans in due course.”
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Felipe has brought a lot to the team. Having someone of his profile, calibre and experience has been a big help in driving the team forward. I have a huge amount of respect for Felipe. It’s been a joy working with him again and I wish him the very best for future.”
IN WORDS
Felipe Massa
“Leaving a team is never an easy decision to make. We’ve made some good memories together and it’s given me the opportunity to learn something completely different from what I’m used to, so first of all I want to thank [Venturi President] Gildo [Pastor] and [Team Principal] Susie [Wolff] for their faith in me. It’s been an honour to be part of the only motorsport team from the Principality, and representing them on the podium at the Monaco E-Prix was a definite highlight for me. The past two seasons have been a big learning curve for us all and unfortunately, for various reasons, we haven’t quite achieved what we hoped. Despite that, it’s been a lot of fun and I wish the team nothing but the very best of luck for the future. I look forward to announcing my future plans in due course.”
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Felipe has brought a lot to the team. Having someone of his profile, calibre and experience has been a big help in driving the team forward. I have a huge amount of respect for Felipe. It’s been a joy working with him again and I wish him the very best for future.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
ROWLAND WINS MAIDEN RACE FOR NISSAN E.DAMS TO GO SECOND IN STANDINGS
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX (RD 10)
FAST FACTS
– Britain’s Oliver Rowland wins maiden race in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship with a commanding drive from Julius Baer pole position in the penultimate race of the season in Berlin.
– Envision Virgin Racing’s Robin Frijns (NLD) claims his third top-four finish since the restart while reigning DTM champion Rene Rast (DEU) finishes third for Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler in only his fifth race for the team.
– DS TECHEETAH’s Antonio Felix da Costa (PRT) fails to finish in his first race since becoming champion and Rowland moves up to second in the race for the runners-up position.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX: RACE 5
More points for ROKiT Venturi Racing in Berlin
IN NUMBERS
| Edoardo Mortara
Practice 1 // P10 Practice 2 // P12 Qualifying // P10 Race // P8 Championship // P14 [40 points] |
| Felipe Massa
Practice 1 // P18 Practice 2 // P15 Qualifying // P8 Race // P13 Championship // P22 [3 points] |
ROKiT Venturi Racing
Championship // P10 [43 points]
IN DETAIL
After taking two days off from competition, ROKiT Venturi Racing returned to the Tempelhof Airport to contest the penultimate race of Formula E’s sixth season and the fifth leg of the Berlin E-Prix.
Showcasing encouraging pace over the course of FP1 and FP2, drivers Felipe Massa and Edoardo Mortara maintained this momentum into qualifying, securing P8 and P10 on the grid after launching their efforts from Group 3.
A promising start saw Felipe maintain P8 over lap 1 while Edo successfully overtook Sergio Sette Camara to advance to P9. In a flat-out race at Tempelhof, both drivers ran in-formation over the opening stages, maintaining position, managing energy, and opening a gap to the cars behind.
In the second third of the race, an incident when activating Attack Mode pushed Felipe down to P12 as Edo moved into P7 after passing Tom Blomqvist.
Edo ultimately experienced a lonely race to take an unchallenged P8 at the chequered flag to notch four points. Felipe recovered to take P13 after slipping to as low as P16, showing the potential of the team’s Season 6 package.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Edo and Felipe started the race very well and in the opening stages, were able to under consume on energy which helped our strategy. As the race progressed, we struggled for pace, and realistically, I think P8 is the best result we could have achieved. We have one race left of the season now and we’ll be pushing hard to end what has been a difficult week of racing on a high.”
Edoardo Mortara
“I made a good start and overtook Sette Camara on the first lap to move into P9. Felipe was in front of me at this point and we managed to pull away from the cars behind which was positive. When I was saving energy, I suffered from a lot of oversteer, especially when I was in Attack Mode. The cooling track temperatures didn’t help the situation but I was still able to remain on track, more or less. I think P8 is the best result we could get realistically and hope we can regroup for tomorrow so we can get a strong result in the final race of the season.”
Felipe Massa
“It was another frustrating race. I made a good start and in the early stages, the pace was very encouraging. My main focus was opening up a gap to the cars behind me and I managed to do this. Everything was going well until we decided to arm Attack Mode. Blomqvist went to arm it at the same time – he braked very early and I braked late which meant that I was too close to him and couldn’t see the arming loops which meant that it didn’t activate. After that, it was terrible and I lost all of the margins that I had established at the beginning. I’m very disappointed but now we’ll concentrate and focus on tomorrow so we can hopefully end the season on a high.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
FORMULA E TALENT SEARCH SEEKS PRESENTER OF THE FUTURE
– ABB FIA Formula E Championship launches search for young talent to join existing on-air and online presenter team.
– Formula E Open Talent Call to provide aspiring presenters with chance to kick-start career in front of the camera.
– Four semi-finalists will receive mentorship and media training with the winning applicant earning a paid role for Season 7.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FE401
London, UK (August 12, 2020) – The ABB FIA Formula E Championship has launched a talent search giving aspiring presenters the chance of a career in front of the camera.
Launched today on United Nations’ International Youth Day, the Formula E Open Talent Call aims to find the next generation of young presenters. Entries are open to anyone aged 18 to 24, no matter their background or experience, as long as they can audition in English language and are a resident of the UK, France or Germany. The competition provides a rare opportunity to break into sports broadcasting.
The first-round online entry portal is open for a period of one month from today. Entrants must submit a short 30 to 60 second video showcasing why they should be Formula E’s newest presenter or commentator.
The candidates will then be whittled down, with the 15 brightest talents chosen to face an expert panel of judges from the Formula E community. Only four finalists will progress to the final stage, where they will be invited to attend pre-season testing and be set a series of on-screen challenges.
The finalists will each receive mentorship and professional media training to support their professional goals. The winner will earn a paid position joining the existing Formula E on-air and online presenter team for the first race of Season 7.
Founded to counteract climate change by accelerating the development and adoption of electric vehicles, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship has always had a purpose bigger than the sport itself. The recent launch of the #PositivelyCharged manifesto as part of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven movement and announcement of Formula E’s Positive Futures programme reasserted the sport’s commitment to creating better futures through racing.
Central to this programme is the promise to nurture a culture of inclusivity that embraces diversity in all its forms. The Open Talent Call for Presenters is the first step in delivering against this promise by democratising opportunities for young and diverse talent on and off the track.
To enter and view the full list of terms and conditions, visit www.FIAFormulaE.com/TalentCall and upload your video submission by September 12. #PositivelyCharged
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
VERGNE RETURNS TO TOP STEP AS DA COSTA CLINCHES FIRST ABB FIA FORMULA E CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX (RD 9)
FAST FACTS
– Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) returns to winning ways at Tempelhof Airport to take first victory of the season in Berlin.
– Portugal’s Antonio Felix da Costa crosses the line in second place to secure maiden ABB FIA Formula E Championship crown.
– DS TECHEETAH duo complete one-two finish in damp conditions to successfully defend teams’ title with two rounds to spare.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX: RACE 4
A challenging race sees ROKiT Venturi Racing return to the top 10
IN NUMBERS
| Edoardo Mortara
Practice 3 // P14 Qualifying // P13 Race // P14 Championship // P14 [36 points] |
| Felipe Massa
Practice 3 // P17 Qualifying // P6 Race // P10 Championship // P19 [3 points] |
ROKiT Venturi Racing
Championship // P9 [39 points]
IN DETAIL
After a difficult Saturday of competition, ROKiT Venturi Racing returned to the Berlin Tempelhof Circuit on Sunday to complete the second double-header of Formula E’s Season 6 showdown.
Over practice, the Monegasque marque rectified prior issues before contesting qualifying with both Edoardo Mortara and Felipe Massa in Group 3. While Edo took P13, Felipe navigated a competitive session to advance to Super Pole, securing P6 on the grid.
Felipe obtained a strong start to challenge for P5 into Turn 1, only to drop to P7 while Edo maintained P13 over the first tour. A lap 1 safety car neutralised the race in the early stages before rain drenched the circuit with 34-minutes + 1 lap remaining.
With a conservative strategy over the first half, Felipe remained in touch with the top five, however, over-consumed when duelling with Alex Lynn and Mitch Evans. This placed the Brazilian on an energy-saving program up until the chequered flag.
As a result of this, Felipe slipped through the field to ultimately take P10 at the line while Edo registered P14 following a hard-fought battle in pursuit of a points-paying performance.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Both drivers battled hard – we just didn’t have the pace to achieve more today. It’s incredibly close and such a fine line between hero and zero.”
Felipe Massa
“I don’t know if I should be happy or really frustrated. I performed well in qualifying to get into Super Pole and I had really good pace at the start of the race. I was able to save some energy early on but in the middle of the race, I lost too much energy when fighting the cars around me and by trying to hold position. This impacted the strategy I was on and created some issues in the second half. One point is better than zero I suppose but I’m not happy with this result. It doesn’t reflect our efforts or our potential and I want to fight for more which I hope I can do on Wednesday and Thursday.”
Edoardo Mortara
“I was hoping for more today but it turned into another difficult race. I wasn’t really able to overtake the cars in front and I was losing positions to the cars behind. This battling cost us a lot of energy. We have quite a lot of work to do ahead of the final two races. Hopefully, we can perform better in qualifying and then score some more points from there to end the season on a high.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX: RACE 3
A harsh day of competition for ROKiT Venturi Racing
IN NUMBERS
| Edoardo Mortara
Practice 1 // P3 Practice 2 // P12 Qualifying // P14 Race // P14 Championship // P13 [36 points] |
| Felipe Massa
Practice 1 // P15 Practice 2 // P17 Qualifying // P13 Race // P19 Championship // P19 [2 points] |
ROKiT Venturi Racing
Championship // P9 [38 points]
IN DETAIL
After a day of rest and refinement, ROKiT Venturi Racing returned to the Tempelhof Circuit to resume Formula E’s Season 6 showdown, embarking on the second of three double-header events in Berlin.
Getting re-acquainted with the traditional anti-clockwise layout of the venue, Edoardo Mortara and Felipe Massa commenced qualifying from the second and third groups, ultimately taking P14 and P13 overall.
A penalty for Nyck de Vries promoted to Felipe P12 on the grid and while the Brazilian advanced to P11 with a reactive start, Edo slipped down to P18.
Felipe moved into the points with 30-minutes + 1 lap of racing remaining and continued his top 10 assault after a long safety car period, performing an overtake on Alex Lynn and Andre Lotterer to advance to P6.
A drive-through penalty removed Felipe’s strategic advantage on the cars ahead and any chance of points, with this ultimately relegating him to P19. Edo took the chequered flag in P14 after experiencing a tyre issue throughout the race.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“We simply weren’t good enough as a team today. Edo had a tyre issue which was no fault of his own. Felipe’s race was heavily compromised by a drive through while fighting for P6 so a very disappointing result.”
Edoardo Mortara
“It was a very difficult day today. It started out quite well in practice and the performance was there in qualifying but for some reason, we couldn’t find any pace in the race. The set-up of the car made it quite difficult to drive and also, in terms of energy, we didn’t execute our strategy right. That made it a pretty bad cocktail in the end – it was a disappointing day. I think we are lacking performance in comparison to the teams around us and I really hope we can find the right solutions overnight so we can improve the situation when we race again tomorrow.”
Felipe Massa
“The race started well for me and I was definitely having a nice time. I had good pace, I was fighting and I was gaining lots of positions. At the start, I was able to save energy compared to the other cars around me which placed me in a competitive position but then I had contact with Lucas [di Grassi]. He was trying to pass me around the outside of Turn 1 and he turned in a little early when I was still on the inside which I didn’t expect. We touched and because of that, he ran wide which led to my drive-through. I am very disappointed because the race was going really well for me at the time and I’m sorry for Lucas. We need to reset for tomorrow, fix every issue, and then come back fighting.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
GUENTHER FIGHTS OFF FRIJNS ON THE FINISH LINE TO TAKE HOME WIN FOR BMW IN BERLIN
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX (RD 8)
FAST FACTS
– Germany’s Maximilian Guenther gives BMW i Andretti Motorsport a boost with win on home soil around the traditional Tempelhof track layout.
– Guenther narrowly holds off Robin Frijns (NLD) with winning margin of less than a tenth of a second in closest finish in Formula E history.
– Antonio Felix da Costa (PRT) finishes fourth behind DS TECHEETAH team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) to maintain 68-point gap in the standings.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
DA COSTA TAKES THIRD CONSECUTIVE LIGHTS-TO-FLAG VICTORY TO OPEN UP BIG GAP IN TITLE RACE
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX PRESENTED BY CBMM | NIOBIUM (RD 7)
FAST FACTS
– Antonio Felix da Costa (PRT) dominates with another lights-to-flag victory at Tempelhof Airport to extend lead in ABB FIA Formula E Championship standings.
– DS TECHEETAH driver opens a 68-point gap to nearest rivals Lucas di Grassi (BRA) for Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler and Mercedes-Benz EQ’s Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL).
– Former champions Sebastien Buemi (CHE) and di Grassi finish second and third with the Brazilian continuing his fantastic record in Berlin to secure a sixth podium in eight in the German capital.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX: RACE 2
ROKiT Venturi Racing fights back to the points in Berlin
IN NUMBERS
| Edoardo Mortara
Practice 3 // P13 Qualifying // P10 Race // P8 Championship // P11 [36 points] |
| Felipe Massa
Practice 3 // P23 Qualifying // P18 Race // P22 Championship // P19 [2 points] |
ROKiT Venturi Racing
Championship // P9 [38 Points]
IN DETAIL
After bringing about an end to a five-month drought in action one day earlier, ROKiT Venturi Racing again took to the reverse Tempelhof Airport Circuit on Thursday to complete the first of three double-header events in Formula E’s Season 6 finale.
Over the course of practice, the Monegasque marque continued to refine its 2019/20 package and come qualifying, drivers Edoardo Mortara and Felipe Massa took P10 and P18, lining up on the fifth and ninth rows of the grid.
Despite losing places at the start, Edo fronted a fight-back as the Swiss-Italian fought forward to run as high as P6 while Felipe gained five positions to move into P12, strategically using Attack Mode in the closing stages of the race.
Negotiating difficulties under braking, Edo was shuffled down the order but ultimately prevailed in P8, coming out on top of a race-long scrap with reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne to score four points despite suffering from a slow puncture.
A software error that impacted Felipe’s energy management and consumption saw the Brazilian slow on the final lap of the race, ultimately taking P22 after a strong performance until that point.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Four points more from today’s race than yesterday so we made a step forward. Ultimately, the pace wasn’t quite there and braking issues impacted Edo’s points charge quite heavily. It was unfortunate to see Felipe to drop back in the final lap, especially after such a strong comeback. We have four races to go so we now we need to get our heads down and focus on the immediate challenge – scoring more points on Saturday and Sunday.”
Edoardo Mortara
“Today’s race will go down as one of the most difficult of the season for me. I had more pace and more usable energy than the cars around me but braking issues and a slow puncture meant that I could not pass them. I was locking my front wheels heavily in the final laps and that slowed me down a lot. For me it feels like a race of what could have been but in the end, scoring four points is not the end of the world. I was hoping for more but it is what it is. I’m looking forward to racing again at the weekend where I’m sure we can do more.”
Felipe Massa
“After a difficult qualifying, I made a good start to the race. My pace was strong and I was gaining positions, moving to just outside of the points. After the second Full Course Yellow, I encountered a strange situation on my steering wheel in which my energy targets and readings were incorrect. This heavily impacted my energy management and consumption. I’m really disappointed with this because we were looking strong until the final 10 laps. We need to investigate what happened and fix this issue so we can hit the ground running in the next batch of races.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX: ROUND 1
A challenging start in Berlin for ROKiT Venturi Racing
IN NUMBERS
| Edoardo Mortara
Practice 1 // P7 Practice 2 // P15 Qualifying // P15 Race // P17 Championship // P10 [32 Points] |
| Felipe Massa
Practice 1 // P21 Practice 2 // P13 Qualifying // P10 Race // DNF Championship // P19 [2 Points] |
ROKiT Venturi Racing
Championship // P9 [34 Points]
IN DETAIL
After a 158 day absence in racing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, ROKiT Venturi Racing got back on track at the Flughafen Tempelhof Circuit for the first leg of Formula E’s six-part Berlin E-Prix season finale.
Getting behind the wheel once more after this hiatus, drivers Felipe Massa and Edoardo Mortara got to grips with the new reverse track configuration ahead of qualifying.
From Group 2, Edo secured P15 while Felipe cemented a place inside the top half of the field from the third group by taking P10. With Oliver Rowland receiving a 20-place grid penalty, these positions later became P14 and P9 for the race start.
Both drivers made inroads on the first lap after ascending to P13 and P8 and, through the strategic use of Attack Mode, were in the position to score points after the first 15-minutes of racing.
A braking issue when battling for position with Stoffel Vandoorne forced Felipe to retire from a points-paying position in the final third of the race. Amidst the carnage of the final laps, Edo was shuffled through the field, taking P12 at the chequered flag before ultimately finishing P17 following a post-race time penalty.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“Today’s result is not how we would have liked to start the Season 6 finale. It was a difficult first race for us with Felipe crashing out when he was set to finish in the points and Edo then slipping out of the points in the final laps. We will regroup, rectify our issues, learn what we can from today, and go again tomorrow.”
Edoardo Mortara
“The start of the day wasn’t ideal, I felt a few braking issues in practice in qualifying but we made a good start to the race and were in the mix for points. We were very patient in the first part but in the second half, there was a lot of fighting and a few crashes which meant that you had to be a little bit lucky. We ended up P12 which isn’t where we want to be but we will reset and start again tomorrow.”
Felipe Massa
“I made a good start and I was running inside the points before my crash. It was quite a big one. I was fighting Vandoorne at the time and I braked late but everything just locked up. It was a tough race and it’s just difficult to believe what happened. I’m very disappointed. We have a long week ahead of us with plenty of other opportunities to score points – all we can do is learn from this, stay positive and keep moving forward to the next race.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)
DA COSTA DELIVERS ON FORMULA E RACING RETURN WITH WIN IN RACE ONE IN BERLIN
2020 BERLIN E-PRIX PRESENTED BY CBMM | NIOBIUM (RD 6)
FAST FACTS
– Antonio Felix da Costa flies to victory in race one at Tempelhof Airport to extend lead in ABB FIA Formula E Championship standings.
– DS TECHEETAH driver secures maximum points haul to move 41 points clear of nearest rival Mitch Evans for Panasonic Jaguar Racing.
– Andre Lotterer equals career best second place for TAG Heuer Porsche as Envision Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird picks up final podium spot.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
FORMULA E BOLSTERS BROADCAST OFFERING FOR BERLIN SEASON FINALE
– ABB FIA Formula E Championship brings new broadcasters on board for intense Season Six Finale in Berlin.
– SuperSport and TV One Indonesia to air live coverage from Tempelhof Airport.
– More ways to watch Formula E than ever before with expanded global audience reach and online streaming services.
– Find out where to watch the Formula E Season Six Finale where you are.
Berlin, Germany (August 5, 2020) – Fans of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship can watch the Season Six Finale across more channels than ever before, with new broadcast partners coming on board to show live coverage of the six-race title decider at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.
New deals with SuperSport and TV One Indonesia will see Formula E’s broadcast network reach over 60 broadcast partners, covering 32 languages and distributed in over 150 territories.
Along with the increased distribution, the eagerly anticipated return of the global electric street racing series will continue to be covered live across Formula E’s major broadcasters including FOX Broadcast and FOX Sports 1 in the USA, Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 across Europe, C8 and Canal+ Sport in France, Italia 1 and Canale 20 in Italy, as well as a comprehensive one-hour highlights package after each race on KBS in South Korea.
With the event in Berlin taking place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, Formula E will enable fans to watch the coverage of all six qualifying sessions live on its official digital channels (exc. Asia and USA). Formula E’s official digital channels will also carry live race coverage in select territories providing truly global coverage across the nine-day, six-race showdown.
The races in Berlin will also be available to watch online on Eurosport Player and Eurosport.de in Germany.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
POSITIVELY CHARGED, TOGETHER
After five months of our cars lying still in their garages, we’ve finally reached the return to racing; 9 days, 6 races, 3 tracks, 1 champion – the most intense finale in motorsport history.
We’re delighted to be back. But we want to come back better.
The events of the past five months have been extremely challenging for people all around the world; the devastating effects of coronavirus, the heightened awareness of the destructive effects of climate change and the increased consciousness of widespread racism has caused much needed introspection around the world.
So, ahead of our much-anticipated return to racing, Formula E came together for a moment of quiet reflection at Berlin Tempelhof.
Representatives from the Formula E community – drivers, caterers, technicians, engineers, team principals, security staff, track builders – united for a moment in the twilight around a neon lit statement of our new purpose: Positively Charged.
United in light, this community stands as one behind a powerful message of inclusivity and a common desire to drive positive change; and together in respect for our common humanity, in reflection upon those cruelly effected by coronavirus, and united in our total rejection of the injustices of discrimination.
The Formula E community also took the moment to acknowledge and reflect on the tragic loss of one of our own, one of our dear friends – Helder Moreira.
#PositivelyCharged, as part of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven movement, represents our sport’s commitment to not only create an extraordinary racing spectacle, but to make a positive impact on the world. Whilst we’re a sport known for our commitment to counteract climate change, we have ambitions to go further.
We set out this commitment in the open letter we published last month, but we recognise that it is just the start of our journey as we work to build electric racing and create better futures through our sport.
(Information source & image credit: FIA Formula E Championship)
ALL ABB FIA FORMULA E CHAMPIONSHIP STAKEHOLDERS TESTED BEFORE ENTERING THE RESTART BUBBLE, TWO POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES IDENTIFIED, BOTH IN ISOLATION
Berlin, Germany (August 4, 2020) – As of Monday, August 3, 1,421 people tested received negative results and two received positive results. The two individuals have entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities. In both instances, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship’s in-depth protocol has been closely followed.
To protect the ABB FIA Formula E Championship community, as the all-electric race series restarts this week ahead of its six-race season six finale in Berlin, the championship has created a bubble which no one can enter without a negative PCR test for COVID-19.
On arrival in Berlin, every accredited member of the community must observe social distancing, wear a face mask and stay alone in quarantine until it is their turn to be tested. After being tested, each person must return to isolation until they have medical confirmation that their result is negative. Each person in the bubble is retested every five to seven days.
The containment procedures set out by the FIA and Formula E have been implemented to ensure there is no wider impact on the Berlin event.
(Information source: FIA Formula E Championship)
ROKiT VENTURI RACING TEAMS UP WITH ABK BEER FOR FORMULA E FINALE
ROKiT Venturi Racing unveils limited edition ABK Beer livery for Formula E’s Season 6 showdown…
A STRENGTHENED RELATIONSHIP
At the end of a five-month hiatus in competition, ROKiT Venturi Racing is delighted to join forces with ABK Beer for Formula E’s 2019/20 season finale this August.
Expanding upon its present Title Partnership with global conglomerate ROKiT, Venturi Racing’s relationship with ABK marks an exciting new chapter as the beverage company – part of the ROKiT Group of Companies – joins the world’s premier all-electric racing series.
For the conclusion of Formula E’s sixth campaign, six races will take place in an intense nine day showdown at the historic Tempelhof Airport in Berlin where two championship titles will be decided.
A HOME EVENT
Holding a pronounced history and heritage, ABK Beer’s beginnings can be traced back to 1308 at the Aktien Brewery in Bavaria when Henry Twinger donated the facilities to the citizens of Kaufbeuren.
700 years on, the brewery has gained global recognition, with ABK Beer awarded two gold medals in the International Beer Challenge while the brand’s ‘Hell’ (pale/light) product was named as the best beer in the world in 2018.
For the six-race Berlin season finale, ABK Beer’s branding will replace the ROKiT logos on the side pods of Felipe Massa and Edoardo Mortara’s car, offering strategic exposure in the local market and beyond by racing in the German capital.
A LOGICAL NEXT STEP
In a time of uncertainty caused by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, ROKiT’s expanded relationship with Monaco’s only racing team adds value to the collaboration and underlines the importance of creativity and flexibility in these unprecedented times.
Scoring 34 points in the present season, ROKiT Venturi Racing is one of only three teams to finish inside the top 10 in every round of the 2019/20 campaign thus far as the outfit continues its upward trajectory.
IN WORDS
Susie Wolff, ROKiT Venturi Racing Team Principal
“We’re delighted to have ABK Beer join the team for the Season 6 finale. The extension of our partnership with ROKiT in this way just highlights the absolute necessity for creativity and flexibility during this unique time for live sport – rights holders need to be openminded and nimble. The six-race, nine-day schedule for Berlin presents a true test of endurance for everyone at Venturi but this intense schedule signals a key opportunity to score points at the end of the season. With ABK on the side of the car, I hope we can deliver our partners with a memorable home race on a circuit that has been generous to the team in the past.”
Jonathan Kendrick, Chairman and Co-Founder of the ROKiT Group
“When I met with the Venturi team ahead of the start of Season 6, I had no doubt in my mind that they were the perfect partner for ROKiT. Fast-forward nine months, as we reach the end of our first season together and I’m just as convinced about the potential of our collaboration. ABK Beer is one of the jewels in the ROKiT Drinks crown, it’s an internationally acclaimed brand and a business we are extremely proud of. I can’t wait to see the ABK Beer logo on the side of Venturi Racing’s Season 6 car in Berlin.”
(Information source & image credit: 2020 ROKiT Venturi Racing)