Munich. The ABB FIA Formula E Championship heads to Europe
this Saturday, 14th April, for the first Rome (ITA)
E-Prix. BMW works drivers António Félix da Costa (POR) and Tom
Blomqvist (GBR) return to the cockpits of the MSAD Andretti
cars.
Blomqvist was behind the wheel of the BMW iFE.18 in Maisach
(GER) last Tuesday and completed the roll-out for the car, which BMW
will be using for the works entry in Season 5 of Formula E.
The Situation
Despite starting well, with MSAD Andretti taking points at each
of the first four venues in Season 4, neither Félix da Costa nor
Blomqvist scored at the last event, Punta del Este. However, Félix da
Costa’s starring performance in Mexico City (MEX) showed there is
excellent pace in the Andretti ATEC-03, and both drivers have proven
the car’s efficiency at race pace. They will look to spring forward at
this brand-new event in Rome.
The Team
The MSAD Andretti Formula E team is in its fourth season of
Formula E in 2017/18. So far, Michael Andretti’s (USA) team has
contested 39 races, claimed three pole positions, and scored 222
points. BMW works driver Félix da Costa is again in action at the
wheel of the number 28 MSAD Andretti ATEC-003 in Season 4.
Joining the Portuguese driver is fellow BMW works driver Blomqvist,
racing car number 27.
The Expectations
Tom Blomqvist, MSAD Andretti Formula E: “After
the pretty hectic first couple of races, it feels like we’ve been on a
big break. This week I had the privilege of driving the first metres
in the new BMW iFE.18 – a great moment for everyone involved in this
project. Now I am definitely very keen to be back behind the wheel of
the MSAD Andretti car. I think it’s going to be a big weekend
with the inaugural Rome E-Prix. It’s such a historical city, which I
think is big for us, for Formula E and for everyone. I’m really
looking forward to racing on the streets of Rome. We’ve been trying to
keep our heads down and improve on all the weaknesses that we’ve
uncovered over the first couple of races. We have proven at times that
the car and the package have been able to get some results but it has
been a bit inconsistent so we are trying to understand all of that and
learn from the areas we haven’t been good in. This should help us put
together a decent weekend in Rome. This is a new track for everyone
which is good for me because I haven’t been to any of the tracks.“
António Félix da Costa, MSAD Andretti Formula E:
“It’s really good to finally go back to racing with the MSAD
Andretti team. Rome is a new track for Formula E and a new city so
that’s always very exciting. It’s blank territory for everyone so we
have done our homework in the simulator with the whole team. We feel
well prepared and we feel like we have addressed all the points that
needed to be addressed after Punta del Este. We are looking forward to
going back to racing and scoring points.”
The Circuit
As the Rome E-Prix is the first electric motor race ever held in the
city, the brand-new circuit will be a trial for the team and driver.
Most of the turns are tight, but the fast, sweeping turns three/four
and seven/eight will challenge drivers and their set up. The race will
start on the tree-lined Via Cristoforo Columbo, speed around
the towering Obelisco di Marconi and sweep past the iconic
Colosseo Quadrato, on the second longest track of the
season: 2.84km.
The BMW i Fleet
BMW i is once again “Official Vehicle Partner” of the ABB FIA Formula
E Championship in Season 4. Spearheading the BMW i fleet is the new
BMW i8 Coupé, modified with BMW M components (combined fuel
consumption: 1.9 l/100 km; combined energy consumption 14.0 kWh/100
km; combined CO2 emissions: 42 g/km)*. As well as the BMW i8 Coupé,
the BMW i fleet for the ABB Formula E Championship also includes the
new BMW i3s (combined fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100 km; combined energy
consumption: 14.3 kWh; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km)* as “Medical
Car” and “Race Control Car”, and the BMW X5 xDrive40e (combined fuel
consumption: 3.4 – 3.3 l/100 km; combined energy consumption: 15.4 to
15.3 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 78 – 77 g/km)* in its role as
“Rescue Car”.