Sarah works in a bank by day, but by night (and most weekends), she is an avid motorsport fan - particularly of Formula E, WEC, DTM and MotoGP. She can be found at various races in Europe chasing after drivers with her dictaphone and has a terrible habit of bumping into Allan McNish.
Stoffel Vandoorne claimed his first Formula E title at the finale staged in South Korea’s capital Seoul this weekend. The Belgian scooped another podium to cement victory, with Mercedes also claiming the spoils in the constructor’s championship, a perfect swan song for the departing manufacturer. The Mercedes man held off a late charge from title rival Mitch Evans who won the race yesterday to take the championship as the curtain fell on the Gen 2 era. Vandoorne started the race from P4, with Evans in an insurmountable P15, but it was Edo Mortara who claimed victory in the final race of the Gen 2 era, a stark difference to the day before where his Venturi stopped on track. Jake Dennis continued his incredible form and shrugged off a five second time penalty to round out the podium.
Credit: Sam Bloxham
Da Costa took a dominant pole position, the departing Techeetah man looking impressive through qualifying. He made light work of Robin Frijns in the opening duel but Dennis was a more difficult challenge, the Portuguese man scoring a place in the final by a mere two tenths. Mortara, another dominant force throughout the new qualifying format had to settle for lining up in second position as Da Costa delivered an all but perfect pole lap, a fitting end to this generation as the Portuguese driver was the first to secure a pole position in the Gen 2 era. London ePrix winner Dennis also looked impressive in qualifying, but he just fell short having to settle for P3. Behind Vandoorne, Frijns and Lucas di Grassi rounded out the top six. Evans struggled as the clock ticked down and a brief impact with the wall left the Kiwi out of the duels as Dan Ticktum surged up the rankings at the last moment in a surprise inclusion, Nio’s first appearance in the duels. The Brit started the race in a respectable seventh position.
Da Costa held the lead at the start of the race, however, he soon came under pressure from Mortara. The Venturi man, hungry to shrug off the disappointment of his race ending from mechanical failure the previous day, surged past Da Costa on the third lap and after that, he never looked back. Mortara continued to manage his energy to seal victory in Formula E’s 100th race – fittingly, Mortara also won the 50th race of the electric series. On the other side of the garage, it was a race to forget for London podium winner Di Grassi as he was forced out of a points-paying position due to a puncture which all but handed victory in the team’s championship to Mercedes for the second year running. Former world champion Nyck de Vries was also forced out early on after a tangle with Pascal Wehrlein put both of them out of the race.
Credit: Andrew Ferraro
As the time ticked down, the leaders settled into a rhythm until the dying stages when Max Gunther’s Nissan stopped on track, forcing a late safety car. However, despite the squeeze, Mortara held firm against the pressure whilst Dennis and Da Costa tangled together, which sent the Portuguese driver to the back of the pack after he was forced wide. The incident handed Dennis a five second time penalty, with the Brit looking like he would lose his hard fought podium, but the Brit managed to hold off Robin Frijns, who rounded out the season in P4. Oliver Askew had a relatively quiet race, finishing in P5 ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne. Title hopeful Evans could only manage P7, with Nick Cassidy getting a few points to add to his tally in P8. Sebastien Buemi monopolised on other’s failure taking P9 and Da Costa rounded out the top ten, taking the final point.
Jake Dennis delighted the crowds of his home race in Formula E, by winning the London ePrix for the second year running. The penultimate round was held in the streets of London on an outdoor and indoor track, the first of its kind in international motorsport competition. The Andretti man held his nerve against championship leader Stoffel Vandoorne, who extended his lead in the championship, capitalising on his rivals’ failure to reach the duels. Nyck de Vries held off a late charge from New York race winner Nick Cassidy to round out the top three. However, the Dutchman was slapped with a last-minute penalty for using more than one manouvre against Cassidy who demoted him to sixth position.
Credit: Andrew Ferraro
The hometown hero took his first pole position of the year, ahead of his closest rival Vandoorne by over a tenth. Vandoorne continued his impressive form to start in P2, a prime slot to extend his championship as rivals Mitch Evans and Edo Mortara’s campaigns faltered. Mercedes’ stronghold continued as Nyck de Vries held P3 ahead of Sergio Sette Camara. The Brazilian once again looked impressive during qualifying, progressing to the quarter-finals which earned him P4 on the starting grid. Lucas di Grassi was initially through to the duels, however, the Venturi driver had all his laps cancelled for impeding Evans during the session which promoted Max Gunther for his first outing in the new format. Gunther managed P6, with Oliver Askew slotting his Andretti into P5. Dennis led from the front, and the Andretti man looked unbothered by the pressure from the dual Mercedes attack behind him. He held the lead from the start and never really looked like relinquishing it. Vandoorne also had a relatively quiet race, the Belgian holding P2 comfortably for the duration of the race. Whilst the race leaders slipped away comfortably at the start, others were not so lucky. Sam Bird ended up in a tangle with Mortara on the opening lap, ending his race prematurely – whilst Mortara limped back to the pits with his championship hopes in tatters and his car damaged. Sette Camara looked impressive early on, managing to snatch away P3 in the opening stages as the battle for power within the Techeetah continued with tempers flaring between Antonio Felix da Costa and Jean-Eric Vergne. Da Costa was victorious in the battle as Vergne struggled, slipping down the order after contact with Sebastien Buemi, for which the Swiss driver was given a time penalty.
Credit: Sam Bagnall
However, ultimately, London was a battle of strategy – Cassidy took his attack mode later in the race and pulled off an incredible late charge, which brought him into podium contention. There was late drama in the dying stages, as Cassidy began to close in on the Mercedes of de Vries, but the current world champion held firm before his demotion. Evans employed the same strategy, producing an incredible recovery drive to surge up the order to P5 after starting in P14. Energy management strategy didn’t work for everyone, however. Sette Camara, after an incredible performance in the opening stages, slipped down the order and out of his first points on the final lap. Da Costa claimed P7 whilst Gunther held on to finish P8. Di Grassi and Wehrlein rounded out the top ten.
It was another exceptional day for Mercedes power with current world champion Nyck de Vries taking his first win since the opening round in Diriyah in the second race in Berlin. The Mercedes man made a lightning start from the second row of the grid and never looked back – he claimed a dominant and assured victory, finishing two seconds ahead of his competitors. The second race ran in the opposite direction, which coupled with the warmer conditions, threw up many challenges for the drivers with many struggling. However, for Mercedes, Berlin suited their package perfectly.
Credit: Sam Bagnall
The Mercedes dominance began in qualifying as Edo Mortara claimed another pole position with an incredible display. The Venturi man claimed victory in the duels with blistering pace, beating out Envision’s Robin Frijns by four-tenths of a second. Nyck de Vries just missed out on the front row, the Dutchman had to settle for P3 ahead of Andre Lotterer who had another strong outing in the qualifying duels. Antonio Felix da Costa started from P5, alongside Lucas Di Grassi who rounded out the top six. Nick Cassidy was due to start in the top six, but a change of inverter in the Kiwi’s car forced him to drop down the order to start last after being hit with an eighty-place grid penalty. Mortara’s hopes of a double race victory were shattered within the first lap, as de Vries took the lead sneaking up the inside of himself and Frijns. The grid order barely wavered in the opening stages until the drivers armed themselves with attack mode. On this occasion, they were permitted one usage for eight minutes which forced the drivers into different strategies. Da Costa was one of the drivers who benefited in attack mode, climbing the order into the podium positions as Frijns, who missed attack mode on his first attempt, and Lotterer both struggled to keep up with the pace at the front. Mortara wrestled P2 back from Da Costa as Di Grassi and Frijns teamed up to usurp Vandoorne. However, as the race entered the latter stages and attack mode spent, the frontrunners became clear. De Vries began to pull a gap at the front of the race as the battles continued behind him.
Credit: Sam Bloxham
Vandoorne made another incredible late charge with the Mercedes clearly favouring the hotter conditions, squeezing Lucas Di Grassi out of the podium positions. However, it was his teammate that claimed victory, ahead of Mortara, a solid result for the Swiss-Italian driver with Vandoorne claiming P3. Di Grassi recovered well to take P4 ahead of Frijns and Da Costa, who were involved in a last lap battle for P5. Frijns was victorious – an excellent recovery drive given his error at the start of the race. Oliver Rowland had a stunning drive – the Mahindra man started in P10 but soon made his way through the field, finishing in an impressive P6. After struggling with temperature early in the race, Lotterer claimed P8, ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne in P9 who used his fanboost in the dying stages. Mitch Evans claimed the final point on a circuit that doesn’t really favour Jaguar’s race package.
It was a Saturday of success for Mercedes power this weekend at their home race as Formula E returned to Berlin, a fixture on the calendar since the inaugural season. Stoffel Vandoorne headed into Saturday as the championship leader, and held the lead over his rivals but a few drivers managed to break ground and close the gap to reignite the battle at the forefront of the championship. Edo Mortara claimed a dominant pole position in the German capital, the first of his career, beating Alexander Sims by two tenths. It was the Mahindra man’s first outing in the new qualifying format, after a bizarre situation in the semi-finals in which he and Jean-Eric Vergne posted the same identical laptime. By virtue of posting the time first, Sims claimed the spot in the final. Vergne was relegated to fourth, lining up alongside his teammate Antonio Felix Da Costa who sat in P3. Porsche teammates Andre Lotterer and Pascal Wehrlein rounded out the top six, another consistent display from the German outfit.
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Mortara got away well at the front as the chaos unfurled behind him, the two Techeetahs of Vergne and Da Costa prowled, picking off Sims and the Porsche of Lotterer also looked dangerous. The four behind Mortara continued to swap positions during the opening stages of the race. Sims slipped down the order as Wehrlein was the first man in the top six to activate his attack mode. After a poor start from the opening lap, Mercedes’ man Stoffel Vandoorne began an extraordinary climb up the order, finding himself on the fringes of the podium battle. However, the Belgian had to settle for P3 ultimately, as Vergne demonstrated a defensive masterclass to hold off the Mercedes for the second step of the podium. However, it was Mortara who took the spoils in the first round, converting his long-awaited maiden pole into a win.
Lotterer took fourth in his home race, having looked menacing at the start of the race but fell back as energy consumption began to bite. It was also an excellent day at the office for the Jaguar team – double Rome winner Mitch Evans stayed quiet in the opening stages before slowly making his way up the order to capture a healthy glut of points for his championship challenge, finishing in fifth position ahead of Wehrlein. His teammate Sam Bird also climbed through the order, finishing nine places up from his starting position, a stark contrast to the problems that plagued Jaguar in Berlin last year to finish in P7.
Credit: Sam Bloxham
Da Costa started well from his second row start and looked in the battle for the podium positions but he failed to keep the pace in the latter stages of the race, finishing in eighth spot. Likewise, Sims had a strong start from the front row but lacked the pace to go with the frontrunners, finishing a tenth behind Da Costa in ninth position as Nyck De Vries rounded out the top ten with the current world champion collecting the final point.
Formula E returned this weekend, after a two week break to the Circuit Hermanos Rodiguez after a year’s hiatus, and the venue certainly did not disappoint. The reintroduction of fans to what is arguably one of the most animated circuits on the calendar only served to make the atmosphere more electric as Pascal Wehrlein finally clinched his and Porsche’s first win in the all-electric series, with a dominant display from the front row to fend off current championship leader Edo Mortara. Wehrlein took pole in a dominant fashion, having impressed throughout the group stages, posting the fastest time of the entire session in his group. He soon disposed of Vandoorne and Vergne to claim his position in the final duel alongside previous race winner Mortara. However, Mortara was unable to clinch his first pole in the series, missing the mark by only two tenths and had to settle for P2 and a front row start opposite the German driver. Despite this disappointment, Mortara looked strong, continuing with his fantastic form from the beginning of the season. Struggling Techeetah seemed to come into their own in the capital city, with both Jean-Eric Vergne and Antonio Felix da Costa both making the duels, lining up in P4 and P5 for the start of the race, whilst title favourites Mercedes struggled in the conditions, both drivers unable to reach the semi-finals in the new qualifying format.
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Wehrlein started well, able to fend off Mortara’s attack at the start of the race whilst Alexander Sims’ bad run of luck continued with his Mahindra stopping on the first lap due to a technical issue. Wehrlein continued to hold firm until attack modes began to be deployed and strategy came into play. Mortara pounced early on to seize the lead as Porsche worried over energy management and both Wehrlein and Lotterer began to slip down the order, the pair both caught by Vergne in the early stages. Both Vergne and Da Costa began to hunt down Mortara for the lead, but Porsche had already begun to claw back the positions they had lost earlier.
Wehrlein, with more energy than those around him, was given the order to hurry things up and cleared Vergne shortly after, before he hunted down Mortara to retake the lead of the race and the German driver never vanquished the position, Lotterer was ordered to stay behind to ensure that a repeat of last year’s events in Puebla did not occur, leaving the Porsche veteran still searching for his first win in the electric series. Both Porsches crossed the line with just over a second to go, forcing an extra lap onto many drivers’ already tight energy management strategies – it worked well for Porsche who were able to claim a dominant 1-2 in the city that has caused them so much pain in the past, Vergne picked up his first podium of the season, taking a well deserved P3.
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The extra lap did not work out so well for others such as Envision’s Robin Frijns who looked incredible in the middle of the race and was forced to manage his depleting energy reserves in the latter stages. Equally, Mitch Evans and Sam Bird finally looked to have some decent points on the board for Jaguar before the extra lap forced them to run out of energy halfway through the final lap.
It was a weekend of mixed fortunes for the constructor’s champions Mercedes as Formula E kicked off in Riyadh for the start of the eighth season. In race one, the German outfit looked to have lost none of the momentum of last season with Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries dominating proceedings in the series new-look qualifying format. However, it was Vandoorne who took first blood in the fight snatching pole by three tenths from the current reigning champion and from Andretti’s Jake Dennis, who continued his excellent form from last season.
However, in the race, De Vries showed why he is the man to beat, sweeping past Dennis in the opening lap. After that, all he had to do was lie in wait for Vandoorne. He seized the opportunity when Vandoorne missed the second sensor when taking his attack mode, forcing his way past his teammate, holding the lead into the end of the race. Despite Vandoorne’s error, the Belgian finished a comfortable second to gift Mercedes a 1-2 finish. Dennis took third for Andretti and on the other side of the garage, his teammate Oliver Askew scored his first point, an excellent outing for the American rookie.
Porsche’s Andre Lotterer also had a strong start to his campaign, lining up in P4 for the first race. He battled with Dennis in the opening stages, but as the race wore on and energy management became critical, he began to fade. Lucas di Grassi, fresh from his move from Audi, wasted no time in getting to grips with his Venturi. The Brazilian looked like the champion of old, working his way up the order and in the latter stages fought with Sam Bird for P4 but ultimately, he had to yield. However, it’s clear that Venturi aren’t afraid to make their presence heard and will certainly be a fierce competitor to their suppliers Mercedes.
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In race two, it seemed that the dominance of Mercedes was going to become a constant this season. De Vries snatched pole position from Edo Mortara, completely dominating the duels. As the race got underway, it seemed that this dominance would continue as De Vries held the lead at the start. The Dutchman looked certain to take back-to-back victories before the strategies of those around him brought those dreams crashing down. He elected not to take his attack mode which left him vulnerable to di Grassi’s attack. The two made contact, leaving the reigning champion to slip down the order as Mortara and Robin Frijns pounced.
Mortara soon passed his teammate in the latter stages to claim the lead, a position he never really vanquished, despite having to hold off a late charge from Frijns and a late safety car after Alexander Sims ended up in the wall. The safety car stayed out as the time ticked out and ultimately ended any last-minute action on track as Mortara claimed his third win in Formula E.
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Frijns looked strong this race, slipping past di Grassi to take P2, and could have certainly challenged for the win had the safety car not ended proceedings early. Di Grassi took his first podium of the season, whilst Lotterer again put in a decent shift to finish P4. It was ultimately a race to forget for Jaguar with Mitch Evans and Sam failing to get near the points, after having problems all weekend. However, ultimately, it was Mercedes who ruled the roost in Diriyah all weekend sending a warning call to all their competitors – but Andretti and Envision have shown huge potential. Only time will tell if Diriyah was just a lucky streak for the current champions.
Formula E will return on 12th February in Mexico City.
Series 7 of Formula E seemed to have it all. Despite Covid-19 still causing problems in every branch of motorsport, the electric series still managed to have a close, tightly contested title battle with any number of drivers predicted to lay their hands on the coveted FIA approved championship. Season 8 is set to be no different. With debut races in South Korea and Indonesia and the beckoning of the Gen 3 car next season, the future of the all electric series seems brighter than ever. The stage is set for the new season to become somewhat of a curtain call for the Gen 2 car, a machine that has pushed the limitations of electric racing and of the drivers to the limits. However, what can we expect from season 8? Mercedes EQ Formula E Team
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World champions Mercedes look like the favourites coming into the new season. They were arguably the strongest team last year, collecting both the driver and constructors championship. However, they did so through sheer consistency and the ability to score points whilst their competitors struggled. Nyck de Vries emerged as the driver to beat but he did so in a quiet unassuming way. However, this season could be different. Mercedes are confirmed to be leaving the series prior to the beginning of the Gen 3 era and there is very little development on the current car bar a few software updates. It could be argued that Mercedes may have become complacent in their final season as they have nothing left to prove. Coupled with the fact that their sister team in Formula One endured such a hardship last season, Mercedes Formula E team could potentially end up taking a back seat to Mercedes’ other exploits. Mercedes have chosen to retain their line up of de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne, a wise decision on their part. Both drivers are proven winners within the series and it appears to be a solid partnership. The pair are familiar with the team and adapted to the car with ease, showing that they are very capable of producing the results that Mercedes have come to expect. De Vries in particular seemed to come into his own this season, the former F2 champion was able to silence the critics who criticised his move to the electric series instead of attempting to get a seat in Formula One. However, despite the perceived harmony, it could all be a facade. Vandoorne was incredibly strong in season 6, and would have been disappointed not to achieve the same success last season. A rivalry between the two could emerge in what will be Mercedes’ last season in Formula E. However, it’s impossible to write Mercedes off entirely given their history in motorsport and their sharp rise to the top in Formula E, expect them to be favourites to snatch at least one title again. Jaguar TCS Racing
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Jaguar has gone from strength to strength since first beginning their journey in series 4 with their best season result to date. The British outfit claimed more podiums than any team last season as a result of arguably the strongest line up on the grid. A few eyebrows were raised when Sam Bird, a veteran of the series moved from Virgin Racing, a team he had been with since the series’ infancy, to Jaguar. However, the Brit claimed two wins for his new team, with his first win coming in only his second race which is testament to his incredible ability to adapt. Jaguar’s title charge was also spearheaded by Mitch Evans, the driver that the team has been built around. Evans had a strong start to the season, collecting three podiums in the first half to become a strong title contender to de Vries. However in the latter half of the season, his title chase fell apart, leaving the Kiwi out of the coveted top three spots of the championship. Evans and Bird would have been disappointed not to be in the title fight for the duration of the championship given their reputation within the series and it’s expected that they will return hungrier than ever. The retention of two of the most experienced and talented drivers in Formula E is a bonus to Jaguar, and although a rivalry between the two could derail Jaguar’s title hopes this season, James Barclay’s ability to force them to work together in harmony last year helped the team dynamic. Evans is familiar with both the car and the team having been with them from the start of their journey and Bird is a driver whose reputation as a hard worker precedes him. This is crucial as the drivers are familiar with the car and are able to focus entirely on their racecraft, rather than getting to grips with the machinery. Jaguar were hindered this year particularly by the old qualifying format, which put both Bird and Evans at a disadvantage for the majority of the season, but with a new format that focuses more on pure pace and perfection over one lap, this should improve. It is expected that Jaguar will continue to be a force going into the new season, they have always been viewed as the dark horses of the competition but it would be foolish to write them off as title contenders for season 8, they have much to prove.
DS Techeetah
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Compared to the previous two seasons, Techeetah had somewhat of a quiet season 7. Techeetah seemed to suffer with reliability issues last year which dramatically hindered their progress to retain the team championship. It was surprising considering their dominance over the past few years that Antonio Felix da Costa and Jean-Eric Vergne were not in the title fight, both former champions only collecting a win each. It was in direct contrast to the year prior where da Costa claimed his first championship in dominant fashion at the six-race header in Berlin. However, the Portuguese driver did manage to claim the first win on the full Monaco circuit used for the first time last season. Double champion Vergne also looked strong, taking two pole positions and collecting the tenth win of his career. Keeping hold of both drivers was crucial for Techeetah going into season 8. Both are proven champions and the familiarity with the team and the machinery they are in will help spearhead the Chinese team’s attempt to reclaim their throne. The bigger problem is that of Techeetah’s future as Formula E looks towards the Gen 3 era. The Chinese outfit is yet to confirm their participation in the next season, leaving it more likely that this season will be somewhat of a swansong for arguably the most dominant team of the Gen 2 era. DS Automobiles, co-partners in the team, have committed their future to Formula E, but it remains to be seen if this is with the Techeetah team. Maserati are waiting in the wings, and DS will have taken notice of the first Italian team to join the electric series. The uncertainty over season 9 could indeed cause serious problems within the team, particularly if it is allowed to play out over the season. One thing is certain – if Techeetah wants to persuade DS to continue their partnership, they need to prove that they can win races and fight their way back to the top step. They have the drivers in order to achieve this goal. Techeetah have proven time and time not to write them off and it would be foolish to do so – if this is indeed their swansong, they will try to end their time in Formula E with a bang.
Envision Racing
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On paper, Envision Racing looked a certainty for the title battle last year given their success in the past. However, they were hindered by their customer status to some extent. Customer teams usually have significantly less testing time and are governed by their supplier. The powertrain supplied by Audi is not the beast that it used to be. Although this could be for a number of reasons, it seems likely that Audi are committing to other series and redirecting their resources towards these as opposed to focusing on Formula E. Audi have confirmed that they would be leaving at the end of season 8 and presumably reduced the support to Envision Racing in favour of focusing on their other motorsport endeavours. This brings another problem to the forefront as we look towards the Gen 3 era, Audi are not committed to the next season and it’s likely that Envision will have to find a new powertrain for their season 9 challenger.
However, despite these problems, Envision had a promising season with four podiums to their name. Nick Cassidy had an excellent start to his Formula E career, taking two second-place finishes in his rookie season. The Kiwi also looked particularly strong in qualifying, a key aspect of success in the electric series. It’s expected that he will continue to grow going into his second year as he becomes more familiar with the car. Envision are also retaining regular driver Robin Frijns, who in the past has produced excellent results for them. The Dutchman almost won the first full length Monaco ePrix last season and although a win eluded him on this occasion, he is proven to be able to extract everything he can out of any car. The retention of such promising talent is a bonus to Envision as they step into the unknown. However, the question remains whether they can pull themselves out of the rut this season, they certainly have the drivers to do so but the machinery is less of a safe bet. Avalanche Andretti Formula E
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The former BMW team had a solid season last year, taking three wins between their driver pairing of Jake Dennis and Maximilian Gunther. Andretti have always had somewhat of a revolving door policy on drivers, and losing both Antonio Felix da Costa and Alexander Sims in recent years, two incredibly experienced drivers, could have spelled disaster. However, Andretti has managed to find a diamond in the rough with Jake Dennis. The former DTM and Blancpain driver was arguably the standout star of season 7, taking two wins and scoring third in the driver’s championship. He would have been a title contender if reliability had not been such an issue. Gunther too continued his fine form in the series, taking a win in New York. However, the German has confirmed that he will be moving to Nissan to partner Sebastien Buemi, a decision that certainly raised a few eyebrows given his success this season. However, he possibly could have been persuaded due to the fact that BMW are stepping down from Formula E and a drive in a factory outfit is definitely more appealing. It remains to be seen as to whether Andretti will continue to experience the same success this season, given BMW’s withdrawal from the sport. The manufacturing giant played a key role in creating the success story we know today, and it will be interesting to see how Andretti will operate with less support from the German manufacturer. The loss of Gunther to Nissan is another blow, the German driver has been somewhat of a marvel in the past few seasons of Formula E. They welcome Oliver Askew, the first full time American to compete in the all-electric series. Although it appears somewhat of a PR move, with an American driver in a newly branded American team, Askew has vast experience in single seaters and was the 2019 Indy Lights champion. It will certainly be a baptism of fire for the American in his rookie season but it’s an ideal time to join the sport on the cusp of the new era. Write Andretti off at your own peril. Rokit Venturi Racing
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Venturi benefited last year again from the excellent Edo Mortara, who emerged at the end of the season as the runner up to the coveted world championship. Their start to the season was somewhat troubled by a brake failure issue that flagged up in their software, forcing them and their supplier Mercedes off the grid for the first race. However, they soon sorted out the issue in true efficient German style and the Swiss driver scooped a win at the Puebla ePrix during the mid-season period. Equally, Norman Nato had a solid season, picking up his first win in the series in the season closer in Berlin. However, as always, the Monegasque team missed out on a few crucial opportunities to win points and ultimately go to battle with their supplier, Mercedes. There have been many changes at Venturi as we head into the twilight period of the Gen 2 car. Jerome D’Ambrosio has now replaced Susie Wolff as team principal as she departs for a more senior position within the team. D’Ambrosio has a vast amount of knowledge around the series, having participated in it since its infancy. His presence can only strengthen the team. Retaining Mortara, the runner up of last season, was crucial to Venturi’s success and although a few eyebrows were raised at the exclusion of Norman Nato, who had a stellar season with the team, one look at his replacement’s statistics sheet will silence any critics. With the departure of Audi, one of Formula E’s most seasoned drivers came into the frame. Lucas di Grassi is a driver who needs no introduction – he is a proven winner, champion and his name features amongst many of the records in Formula E. It will be interesting to see how Di Grassi adapts to a new team, but if D’Ambrosio manages it right, they could potentially be unstoppable. Tag Heuer Porsche
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Given Porsche’s vast experience and budget that they have poured into making their Formula E venture a success, even they would have considered this season as somewhat of a disaster. The German manufacturing giants could only muster two podiums for the entire season, one for both Pascal Wehrlein and Andre Lotterer – robbing us of another epic battle between themselves and fierce rivals BMW and Mercedes. The Porsche Gen 2 seems to lack the punch of its competitors with the pair often fighting at the back of the grid. However, it’s important to look at the bigger picture. Porsche have only been in Formula E for two seasons – both of which have been badly affected by the Covid pandemic – and this has vastly impacted their development and running of their motorsport teams. With some sense of normality returning to real life and the new era looming, it could be entirely possible that Porsche is waiting for season 9 and will push for development into the future. Retaining their two drivers Wehrlein and Lotterer is the smartest move. Although they have a number of drivers who could fill those two seats within the Porsche programme, it’s logical to keep two of the more experienced drivers who know the Gen 2 car and will presumably be involved in testing into the new era. Both Lotterer and Wehrlein are capable of achieving results and have done so in the past, Wehrlein in particular was victim to a number of race direction injustices last season. It remains to be seen what Porsche can achieve in future seasons, but they certainly have something to prove. They could indeed have another quiet season and potentially end up like Jaguar, another team that joined in the middle of a massive development war and have emerged as one of the frontrunners. Only time will tell.
Mahindra Racing
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Compared to previous seasons, Mahindra seem to be in a rut that they cannot pull themselves out of. Losing experienced driver Jerome D’Ambrosio to a role in management was a crucial blow, but they replaced him with the equally brilliant Alexander Sims, a driver who is very knowledgeable in electric cars and mechanics. However, despite the presence of Sims, and Alex Lynn, another driver who has become somewhat of a fixture in Formula E, the Indian team struggled. They can only muster a single win in the entire season, which came for Lynn at his home race in London. There were a handful of podiums split between the two drivers, but despite this, they had a relatively quiet campaign. A stalwart of the series, Mahindra always seems to have kept up with the pace of the other major manufacturers in a way that the likes of Dragon and NIO never have but it remains to be seen how they will cope with the new era looming. Mahindra showed sparks of promise throughout last season, but ultimately, it was the car that let them down. It’s been proven that they are capable of racing against the top dogs, but consistency is key in doing so. Mahindra appear to have lost their way in recent years, a far cry from the team they used to be. The revolving door of drivers doesn’t help matters – there has been no stability and experience at the team for one than a few years. This problem has been prevented this year with the retention of Sims, an experienced driver who is well more than qualified to take Mahindra into the new era. He is partnered by Oliver Rowland, a move which has raised more than a few eyebrows – particularly as Alex Lynn was arguably the stronger driver last year – but Rowland could potentially be the missing piece that Mahindra have been searching for. Reminiscent of former Mahindra drivers such as Felix Rosenqvist and Nick Heidfeld, Rowland possesses that ruthless streak that isn’t afraid to fight for the top prize. We could see a revival of the Mahindra of old before the new age beckons if they can remain consistent. Nissan e.dams
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Nissan e.dams have never quite hit the heights of their previous success in earlier seasons, and season 7 was no different. Although Oliver Rowland holds enormous potential as a future champion and success, his racecraft can be sloppy at times and a few mistakes on track have cost him a win or points-paying positions on a number of occasions. Sebastien Buemi appears a shadow of his former self. His best position of last season was fifth. It could be argued that Nissan, although a giant in the automotive industry, are lagging behind on their competitors. They finished a lowly tenth in the team championship, just ahead of struggling Dragon and NIO. Like many of their competitors, there are flashes of brilliance that hark back to the golden age at the start of Formula E. Rowland’s podiums in Mexico and Berlin are proof of that. Perhaps they’re already looking forward to the Gen 3 era. Nissan and their predecessors Renault always seemed to be one step ahead of the competition in regards to development. It was a surprise when Rowland announced that he was leaving the team that gave him his big break in Formula E for Mahindra. However, Nissan proved their efficiency at dealing with the problem of replacing such a stellar driver by poaching Maximilian Gunther from Andretti. Gunther to Nissan is arguably the signing of the season – a proven race winner who is able to push his car to the absolute limit. The German driver was able to collect points in a Dragon so it will be definitely exciting to see what he can do at a big team like Nissan. Likewise, the retention of Buemi is a smart move on the Japanese manufacturer’s part. Season 2 champion Buemi has a wealth of knowledge and experience that he can use to help his younger teammate to progress further. It remains to be seen if Nissan can again gain the success of previous seasons, but the strength of their driver line up is very promising.
Dragon
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Dragon are a case of what happens when big manufacturers join a fledgling series. Whilst successful in the first two seasons, they have fallen by the wayside with the emergence of the likes of Audi, Mercedes and Porsche. With a revolving door of drivers for the last few seasons, development appears to be the last thing on the mind of the American outfit. However, despite the disappointment of another season, there were a few bright spots. The retention of Sergio Sette Camara last year was a masterstroke with the Brazilian sealing a fourth-place finish in the second race. If reliability were to be improved, there is more potential within Camara. His teammate for the first few races, Nico Muller also showed promise with a couple of points finishes before leaving to prioritise DTM. Similarly, Joel Eriksson was hindered by the capability of the machinery underneath him. Camara enters his second full season with Dragon, a positive for the team if he can recreate the few moments of magic he had last season to secure them valuable points. However, it’s the other side of the garage that is certain to command attention. The signing of Antonio Giovinazzi within Formula E was to be expected, but to see a driver of his calibre snatched up by Dragon was somewhat of a surprise. The former Formula One driver has experience within the electric series, having undertaken rookie tests with the Virgin team prior to joining Sauber. Giovinazzi’s signing can help the team as a whole, potentially bringing in vital sponsorship money and publicity to the struggling outfit. It remains to be seen what will happen at Dragon this year, but a solid season would certainly help the team as they head into the Gen 3 era without any of the big name manufacturers who have hindered their success.
NIO 333 Formula E Team
Credit: Courtesy of Formula E
Season 7 was once again a season to forget for the Chinese based team. They started off on solid ground with the ever reliable Oliver Turvey picking up two points finishes in the season openers at Diriyah. On the other side of the garage, Tom Blomqvist also picked up some impressive point-scoring finishes in the opening rounds. However, as the season progressed, they began to fall behind as reliability began to bite. They remain the only team to have not scored a podium since the 2018-2019 season. The problem for NIO is as always the lack of horsepower within their powertrain and it seems like it will be a case of the same old for the Chinese outfit this season. They have the same problem as Dragon, being an independent manufacturer without the clout of big name teams like Porsche and Audi.
Retaining their key asset Turvey was a must for NIO and he will be expected to quietly go about his business in season 8. He is joined by rookie Dan Ticktum, a controversial figure within the motorsport community best known for his behaviour off track, including a feud with Nicholas Latifi at Williams, an incident that saw him dropped from the F1 team. The former Formula 2 driver has some scores to settle and could easily reinvent himself within Formula E. It remains to be seen if Ticktum has grown both in his personal life and as a driver, but he’s in the best team to do so. There’s less expectation riding on the young Brit and if he keeps his head down and delivers a few decent results, he could yet find himself a home in Formula E. NIO aren’t expected to do much in season 8, but with new management and the consistency of the brilliant Oliver Turvey, they could deliver a few surprising results. Formula E will begin on January 28th and 29th in Diriyah.
Formula E returned this weekend, after a two week break to what is considered the glittering jewel in the motorsport crown, the glamorous and iconic streets of Monaco. Although it was familiar territory to the drivers, the venue boasted a new track layout, with the cars able to use the full track for the first time in the electric series’ history. Nyck de Vries headed into the weekend as the championship leader, but for him and Mercedes, it threw up heartbreak for the German manufacturer. Reigning champion Antonio Felix da Costa claimed a dominant pole position in the streets of the principality, beating Envision Virgin’s Robin Frijns by a mere whisker. Mitch Evans started in P3 in the Jaguar, who ran just a few tenths shy of the pole time. Former champion Jean-Eric Vergne and Max Gunther lined up in P4 and P5 respectively, whilst Oliver Rowland rounded out the top six, having his laptime deleted as he left the garage too late, a factor not aided by Sergio Sette Camara’s late crash in group 4 which brought out the red flag and forced Sebastien Buemi and Tom Blomqvist to reattempt their flying laps. Title favourites Mercedes again struggled in the conditions, forced to start near the back of the grid, as was Jaguar’s Sam Bird who started in a lowly P16.
Credit: Formula E
Da Costa started well, getting the jump almost immediately on Frijns and Evans, however, the Dutchman was able to stay with the reigning champion and the pair of them began to pull away from the rest of the field whilst Wehrlein and Sims got tangled together in a bizarre incident at the famous Mirabeau hairpin. Within five minutes, Frijns closed in on Da Costa and snatched the lead away. Da Costa responded by taking attack mode, but it was to no avail. The pair of them headed at the front, as Bird and Di Grassi, both of whom had started down the order began to claw their way into the points-paying positions. Da Costa and Frijns fought for the lead as the time ticked away, both swapping positions whenever their attack modes were taken, which allowed Evans to come back into play, bringing Gunther and Vergne with him. Vergne looked impressive in the Techeetah, but made a mistake and failed to activate his second attack mode, which allowed Gunther through to fight for the podium. Da Costa used his fanboost to great effect to fly past Frijns for the lead going into the famous tunnel, whilst Evans too began his charge using his second attack mode to sweep past Frijns a lap later. Evans soon disposed of Da Costa for the lead with fifteen minutes left on the clock and everything looked in order, until Rene Rast’s Audi stopped on the climb up towards Casino Square bringing out the safety car and with it, the dreaded energy reduction.
Credit: Formula E
As in Valencia, Monaco showcased a thrilling sprint to the finish line in the dying stages of the race as Da Costa, desperate to shake off the demons of two weeks prior, swept past Evans for the lead for the race out of the tunnel, a move he had used previously to pass Frijns earlier. Evans was pipped to P2 by Frijns, after the energy reduction left him vulnerable and had to settle for the final podium position. The trio were followed by Vergne who just missed out on the podium, Gunther, Rowland and Bird rounded out the top seven. Due to the failure of Mercedes’ driver and championship leader Nyck de Vries to score any points, Robin Frijns inherited the championship lead as we head to Mexico in five weeks time.
AF: You must have some brilliant memories from the F1 paddock. Can you share some of your fondest memories with us? LG: So many of my fondest memories revolve around the people that I’ve worked with. I think being part of a team is always something special, be that working for a race team, being Press Officer at Jordan, or working with the ITV team, learning all about broadcasting and how to do that side of things. And so many memories that relate to particular interviews. Getting the first interview with Rubens Barrichello when he won his first Grand Prix – I worked with him as one of my drivers at Jordan. Getting the first interview with Eddie Irvine, for similar reasons. Getting the first interview with Lewis Hamilton when he won his first world title. There are lots of special moments.
I guess another one is being involved – not only in the first two-seater race for Formula 1 cars – but the first ever crash for two-seater Formula 1 cars! I was in the back of Fernando Alonso’s car. It was basically a Minardi PR event; they had built some two-seater Formula 1 cars that they could do passenger rides with, and they had arranged a race and Nigel Mansell was on board as one of the drivers,. Mansell’s deal was that he would win the race: it would work for everybody.
There was a bit of a miscommunication. I was in the back of Fernando Alonso’s car. He was just at beginning of his Formula 1 career. We ended up having Nigel Mansell driving into the back of and over the top of us. In fact, I’ve got the rear wing endplate from that car signed by Nigel and Fernando up on the wall of my office!
AF: More recently you’ve been presenting British Touring Cars. Jade Edwards has recently announced she’s doing a full season for 2021, making her the first woman to do so since 2007. What do you think that means for representation of women in motorsports?
LG: I think it’s absolutely brilliant. Jade is there on merit. She made her debut in a one-off event last year, as did Jess Hawkins. Jade [has] managed to pull it together, and it’s a difficult job for any driver, male or female, to get together the budget, particularly in the times that we’re living through, to put together a full season of car racing, let alone racing at the premier category in the UK.
So I think all credit to Jade, and she is there on merit. She’s a good driver. I think it’s brilliant on a personal level for Jade because she’s a top girl, she’s worked really hard, she’s great fun, she’s a great personality, and she’ll be a great person to have in the BTCC paddock.
But I think more importantly, the visibility that it gives – it’s that old phrase – you need to see it to be it. Having a girl racing competitively on the touring car grid, you’ll have little girls watching at home thinking ‘okay, girls can be racing drivers as well’, and I think very often that makes a big difference.
Jade got into racing because she’d grown up around paddocks because her father and her grandfather raced. There are quite a few girls who have got involved in racing because there was a family connection. I now run my own media training company, and I work with quite a lot of young drivers, and very often I’ll say to them ‘how did you get involved in the sport?’, and if they didn’t have a family connection they’ll say ‘I went to a friend’s birthday party when I was eight years old and we went karting’. How many people take their eight-year-old girls karting? It just doesn’t happen the same [way], so I think maybe as a result of Jade being in the BTCC, maybe more people will say ‘do you want to go karting?’ to their eight-year-old girls. Maybe eight-year-old girls would say ‘I quite fancy having a go at that, can I go karting?’
AF: You’re also a supporter of the Girls on Track initiative, and you’ve run several webinars and workshops during the pandemic, sharing your knowledge and experience. Why is that important to you and what do you think that’s achieved to get girls more involved?
LG: The FIA Girls on Track started out as Suzie Wolff’s Dare to be Different initiative, and the primary function was working with youngsters and schools to give some insight to the parents, the teachers, and the young girls themselves, of all these different areas that you could work in in motorsport: be it medical, be it media, be it working on the cars, be it the physical education side of things. That was the basis of [how] it began, and then a community that ran alongside it to broaden it out to a wider audience. I think it’s really important to get the word out there – to girls, families, parents, teachers – of the availability and the range of work opportunities in motorsport.
It’s about sharing people’s experiences. I get people contacting me about how they would become a journalist in Formula 1, so I can share my experiences and give them some advice. It’s a mixture of those two things. It’s about awareness of opportunities and girls sharing experiences and giving back to other youngsters who are hoping to do it.
I am aware that I was very lucky to have been given opportunities. I wasn’t aware until relatively recently that [when I] turned up as part of ITV’s coverage – people noticed that, and quite a few girls have subsequently said to me ‘it was when I saw you doing that, I thought, oh wow, maybe I could work in Formula 1; maybe I could work in motorsport’. So that to me has been a very personal experience of the benefits of sharing your experiences with other people; with other girls – I’m very happy to share my experiences with boys as well, don’t get me wrong! – but with something like Girls on Track, what we’re trying to do is balance things out a bit, to get more girls involved in the sport.
I think it’s hugely beneficial. Everybody, no matter what business you’re in, you’re always going to benefit from having a mentor; you’re always going to benefit from having people who have gone before you sharing their experiences, and I think that’s a really crucial, important thing to be doing.
AF: You’ve also had some experience yourself as a driver, so you’ve had a taste of both sides of the motorsport world. What advice would you give to any girls wanting to break into the world of motorsport, whether as a driver, or in media or engineering? LG: On the driving side, just do it, because it’s bloody brilliant fun! The younger you start the better it’s going to be. Who knows, I could have been a Formula 1 driver if I’d started when I was eight, but I didn’t get into a car behind the wheel until I was well into my twenties, and that came about [from] having a bit more profile from being on TV. I absolutely loved it, it’s brilliant fun.
Formula 1 and motorsport has given me an amazing – not just career – but life experiences as well: I’ve travelled, I’ve seen the great wall of China, I’ve been all around the world. I’ve been so lucky to get those experiences, and that’s come about off the back of my working life. And that’s a working life that’s been hugely gratifying as well.
I think you’ve got to like the sport to start off with, because it’s not a job when you work in motorsport, it’s a way of life. Races are at the weekends; you’re giving up a lot of your own time, so you’ve got to be passionate about it. Having said that, you can’t just be a fan, you’re there to work. It’s a working environment, so you’ve got to do your bit and work hard, and it’s a competitive environment so you’ve actually got to work bloody hard if you want to succeed in it. But I guess that’s the same with [any] profession: the harder you work, the more you apply yourself, the more chance you’re going to have of having success.
Louise Goodman has had a long career in motorsport, from starting out as a Press Officer at Jordan Grand Prix to becoming a familiar face to Formula 1 fans in the UK as a pitlane reporter for ITV. She now presents ITV’s BTCC coverage and has her own media training company – Goodman Media.
In our interview, Louise shares her insights into how the sport has changed over the years and discusses some of her more unique experiences, including becoming the first wo man to take part in a Formula 1 pit stop and being a passenger in a crash between Fernando Alonso and Nigel Mansell!
Alison Finlay: You’ve had a long career in motorsports – generally regarded as a very male-dominated environment – what would you rank as some of your greatest achievements? Louise Goodman: I think having a long career in motorsport is probably up there on the list! I was lucky to fall into the sport. It wasn’t as if I set out to work in motorsport, or in broadcasting, which is what I’ve ended up doing. It’s a competitive business, and to have carried on working in it in various different guises; various different roles, I think it’s something to be… well, I applaud it anyway, even if nobody else does! It makes me happy, put it that way.
AF: What are some of your thoughts on how things have changed over the years in terms of participation of women and involvement of women in the sport?
LG: When I first walked into a Formula 1 paddock, back in the very late 1980s, you could probably count on not more than two hands the amount of women that were actually working in the paddock. It does have to be said that the number of people working in the paddock full stop was a lot smaller. Nowadays the teams have massive great big motorhomes that probably take 20-30 people to set them up. Back when I first started, it was two people, very often a husband-and-wife team, who drove the motorhome from A to B, set it all up, did the cooking and did a bit of everything.
When I first started out in Formula 1, some of the teams didn’t have a press officer. There was no facility for looking after the media, and a lot less media as well. And in marketing, there would be maybe two people in the commercial department, and that would be it. So marketing, media, those are areas where we’ve traditionally seen more women. I think more recently what’s been really good is the increase in numbers of women working on the technical side as well.
I think there is still work to be done to open people’s eyes to the fact that there are so many roles in the various different areas that motorsport encompasses, obviously the engineering side being one of those key areas. [Teams are] competitive across every level: they want the best engineers; they want the best candidates. They don’t really care whether they’re male or female, but the pool from which they are drawing has a lot more men in it, so inevitably, there’s going to be a lot more men coming through.
It has to start at the bottom. It starts in school, it starts in education, with encouraging a broader spectrum of people from different genders and different ethnicities to go into the subjects that will ultimately lead towards people having careers in motorsport.
AF: You were the first woman to take part in an F1 pitstop. Can you talk about how that came about and what that experience was like for you?
LG: When I was part of the ITV Formula 1 presentation team, we were always looking for different ideas for different features. I was standing in the pit lane at one of the Grands Prix watching – I think it was Honda at the time. They were doing their pitstop practice and Alastair Gibson, their chief mechanic said ‘you should have a go at this!’ and that sowed the seed for the idea.
I trained with the team. I had to take part, understandably, in a lot of pit stop practice to make sure that I was up to the job. The plan was that we would film two pieces that would go out as part of our coverage at the British Grand Prix. The week before the Grand Prix, I took a phone call from Gil de Ferran, who was the sporting director of the team at the time, who said ‘I’m really sorry Louise, but we’ve had a meeting and you’re not going to be able to do the pit stop’, which I was immensely frustrated about. So [we] were left with a hole in our feature material for the British Grand Prix.
I put in a phone call to Andy Stevenson who was at Midland at the time. We had known each other for a long time I said ‘I’ve got this problem, I’ve trained to do this’ and he said ‘fine, no problem’. And I said ‘well, do you need to check?’ and he said ‘no, there’s no point telling the engineers about it, is there? they always get too uptight about this kind of thing’. I obviously then had to go and do some pit stop practice with their team, which scared the bejesus out of me, because I then discovered my job was rear left wheel off, and there was a very particular movement that you had to do on the Honda car and it was slightly different on the Midland.
I was incredibly nervous about it.. I really was going to have to muck it up in a monumental style if I was going to have an impact on their pitstop. But my heart was still in my mouth when it happened, and I felt like I’d just won the Grand Prix when it all went successfully!
Ironically, Jenson Button’s car with the Honda team never made it to his first pit stop, so had I stuck with the original team, it would never have happened! So it was big thanks to Andy, who I discovered afterwards had literally told his engineers ten minutes before the start of the race that I was going to be on the crew doing the pit stops.
