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Mercedes-EQ will leave Formula E at the end of season 8.
The team is exploring the possibility of continuing the Formula E competition beyond next season into the Gen3 era.
Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO confirmed, “At Mercedes-Benz, we have committed ourselves to fighting climate change at full force in this decade. This demands the accelerated transformation of our company, products and services towards an emission-free and software-driven future, and to achieve this, we must give full focus to our core activities.”
Markus mentioned, “In motorsport, Formula E has been a good driver for proving our expertise and establishing our Mercedes-EQ brand, but in future we will keep pushing technological progress – especially on the electric drive side – focusing on Formula One. It is the arena where we constantly test our technology in the most intense competition the automotive world has to offer – and the three-pointed star hardly shines brighter anywhere else. F1 offers rich potential for technology transfer, as we can see in ongoing projects such as the Vision EQXX, and our team and the entire series will achieve net-zero status by the end of the decade.”
Bettina Fetzer, Vice President Marketing, Mercedes-Benz AG explained, “Over the last two years, Formula E has enabled us to showcase the Mercedes-EQ brand in a highly endemic and truly innovative format. On a strategic level, however, Mercedes-AMG will be positioned and strengthened as our performance brand through its close alignment to our record-breaking Formula One team, and F1 will be our company’s works motorsport focus for the years ahead. We wish the Formula E championship, its stakeholders and its innovative format only the best for the future as it continues to grow, and we hope the series has a bright future.”
It was in 2017 that Mercedes announced they would enter Formula E during the 2019/2020 campaign. The team included Gary Paffett, Stoffel Vandoorne, Edoardo Mortara, Esteban Gutiérrez and Nyck de Vries. Following that, Mercedes took its maiden victory. It was a 1-2 win in Berlin. Stoffel won the race and Nyck earned his first podium. Vandoorne finished 2nd in the Drivers’ Championship. Mercedes finished 3rd in the Team’s Championship.
On home soil, Mercedes’s second season was successful. At the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit, Nyck de Vries took the win. He finished the season on top with 99 points in the driver standings. The Dutch driver secured the Teams’ World Championship Title. Mercedes ended with 181 points for the team. What a way to conclude season 7.
Alejandro Agag, Formula E Founder, and Chairman said, “We thank Mercedes for their support since joining the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Automotive manufacturers are facing EU and UK regulations to transition to a fully electric future, reinforcing Formula E’s vision.”
Agag added, “Formula E, the world’s first and only Net Zero Carbon championship, provides an unparalleled technology and marketing platform showcasing the future of electric mobility in iconic city centres around the world. We look forward to developing our championship with our partners, teams, and manufacturers who share our commitment to an electric future.”
Jamie Reigle, Formula E Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Mercedes have been a valued partner to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship during Gen2. We look forward to working with the team to explore options for their entry for Gen3 which commences from 2023. Six of the world’s leading manufacturers are committed to Formula E’s Gen3 technology roadmap and expanding calendar of global cities. In partnership with the FIA, we will introduce financial regulations to enhance the financial sustainability for Formula E’s teams and manufacturers, ensuring our sport continues to serve as the driving force in the shift to electric mobility.”
So far, Audi and BMW are leaving as well. It makes you wonder if more manufacturers will do so too?
Headline Image Credit: Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team.