BMW i and MS Amlin Andretti ready to begin global tour in Hong Kong.

Munich (DE), 6th October 2016. The 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship
season begins in Hong Kong (CN) on 9th October. BMW works driver
António Félix da Costa (PT) and Robin Frijns (NL) will drive the two
MS Amlin Andretti ATEC-002 machines in the Hong Kong ePrix. We bring
you some useful information ahead of the much-anticipated season opener.
 
The Challenge

BMW’s commitment to the FIA Formula E Championship, through its
partnership with the MS Amlin Andretti team, will take its first steps
in competitive racing on Hong Kong’s streets. Félix da Costa and
Frijns will be hoping to begin the season strongly, but will face a
tough challenge. MS Amlin Andretti will debut its brand new
powertrain, and thus the Hong Kong ePrix represents a step into the
unknown for the technology. Further unknowns, in the shape of a brand
new track layout and an ultra-competitive, but still enigmatic, field
will only increase the difficulties of this
debut.
 
Increased manufacturer involvement across the
series and a field of talented drivers mean that Season 3 of the
world’s only all-electric motor racing series is its most competitive
yet. The team must perform to its absolute maximum to achieve good
results on its Asian adventure.
 
The Team

MS Amlin Andretti will race the ATEC-002 in Season 3, with Félix
da Costa and Frijns in its two entries – Frijns in number 27 and Felix
da Costa in number 28. BMW will provide expertise and support to the
American team as it runs its own powertrain for the first time, having
run the standard Formula E technology in the first two seasons. This
will be the first ever race for the fledgling manufacturer-team
partnership.
 
Fans can vote to give their favourite driver
a ‘FanBoost’ – an extra energy allocation, available in the second
half of the race – online. The three drivers with the most votes
receive an extra 100KJ of energy, which can boost power by up to 30KW.
There are two methods: voting on fanboost.fiaformulae.com, or by using
the hashtag #FanBoost, plus #AntonioFelixdaCosta or #RobinFrijns, on
Twitter or Instagram.
 
The Expectations

Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director: “We are
really looking forward to the first race of the 2016/17 season of the
FIA Formula E Championship. As part of our partnership with Andretti
Formula E, we will be represented by numerous engineers in Hong Kong.
We are ready to start our Formula E mission: gain experience and pave
the way for success in collaboration with the team of MS Amlin
Andretti. The narrow track in the middle of Hong Kong provides an
impressive backdrop for this.”
 
António Félix da Costa, MS Amlin Andretti: “It feels
like it’s been a very long time since the end of the last Formula E
season, so I’m really excited to get Season 3 underway. I’ve been
involved in Formula E since the beginning, and I can say without
hesitation that this is the most competitive season yet. The
manufacturer input, the spectacle, the organisation of the series,
it’s massive. Obviously I’m thrilled to see BMW joining the series
with Andretti – I’ve been working with BMW for a while and I know how
hard they push, and how seriously they will take this venture. It’s
fantastic news. That said, it’s going to be a tricky race. Everyone is
working flat out. As for the track, it’s going to be good for racing –
there are plenty of overtaking opportunities, and energy management
will be tough, which could lead to lots of position changes. I think
Season 3 of Formula E is going to start with a great spectacle.”
 
Robin Frijns, MS Amlin Andretti: “I am glad to be
back with Andretti Formula E and can’t wait to get behind the wheel of
the MS Amlin Andretti car in Hong Kong. We had one podium last year,
but that is not enough. We want to do more this season and I don’t
think our true potential showed in Season 2. The team has been working
hard and it will be good to get on track this weekend and get Season 3
started. Some of the new cities and circuits also look exciting –
looking forward to the year.”
 
The City

Hong Kong itself is a fantastic location for Formula E. It is a
sovereign state of China, whose capital Beijing (CN) it replaces on
the series’ calendar for 2016/17. Famous for its culture and vibrancy,
the territory is the fourth most densely populated in the world: Over
seven million people live in just 2,755km2 – and less than 25% of that
area is developed. Only Macau (CN), Monaco (MC) and Singapore (SG) can
claim to be tighter on space.
 
The Circuit

The two-kilometre city circuit, set alongside the world famous
harbour, will provide a backdrop of unparalleled urban vistas. In many
ways, the track presents similar challenges to all Formula E’s
layouts: it is bumpy, and most of the corners are tight, 90° or
hairpin bends. Unlike many of the circuits the series will race on,
it’s wide, which will likely lead to a lot of side-by-side action. The
track’s long straights, like the warm temperatures, could make for
difficult energy-management conditions.
 
The BMW i Vehicle Fleet

For Season 3, BMW i remains the “Official Vehicle Partner” for
the FIA Formula E Championship. The BMW i8 (fuel consumption combined:
2.1 l/100 km / 134.5 mpg imp; CO2 emissions combined: 49 g/km) will
continue as the high-performance, efficient Safety Car in Formula E.
The same goes for the BMW i3 (energy consumption combined: 12.9 kWh;
CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km), which is the “Medical Car” and “Race
Director Car” and for the BMW X5 xDrive40e (fuel consumption combined:
3.4–3.3 l/100 km / 83.1–85.6 mpg imp; CO2 emissions combined: 78–77
g/km; figures based on the EU test cycle, may vary depending on the
tyre format specified), which functions as the “Rescue Car” or
“Extrication Car”.
 
Note to the editors: A photo call will be held at
17:00hrs on Friday in front of the MS Amlin Andretti garage. Among
others, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt and Alejandro Arag,
chief executive officer Formula E holdings, will be available for
pictures. This will be followed by a press conference.
 
A
comprehensive press kit for the FIA Formula E Championship is attached
to this press release.