Track facts and key factors: the BMW i Andretti Motorsport preview for the Julius Baer Swiss E-Prix.

Munich. This coming weekend, the ABB FIA Formula E
Championship will be in Bern (SUI) for the first time, for the
eleventh race of the season. Our preview provides you with the most
importance facts about the circuit and the key factors for a
successful Julius Baer Swiss E-Prix.

 

TRACK FACTS BERN.

Circuit length

2.750 km. Anticlockwise.

Corners

8 left
and 6 right handers. Slowest corner: under 50 km/h. Fastest
corner: approx. 90 km/h.

Track surface

Probably very uneven, alternating surfaces.

Grip level

Low.
Leaves may make the track slippery and be a disadvantage for
qualifying group 1.

Circuit layout

Very demanding. Relatively high average
speed. Therefore, relatively high energy consumption. Great
differences in altitude (up to 50 metres). Relatively high
top speed on a downhill section (approx. 225 km/h). Several
straights, but a very narrow track make overtaking very difficult.

Tyre wear

Likely
to be high. Narrow chicanes and long straights mean lots of
stopping and starting on the track.

Attack Zone

ATTACK MODE is activated on a straight. This
means there will be hardly any time loss.

Pit lane

Very
long and narrow.

Risk of crashes

Very high due to the narrow, demanding track.

Key factors

Good
starting position, great efficiency of drive train, good and
exact energy management.

 

Quotes ahead of the Julius Baer Swiss E-Prix:

 

Roger Griffiths (Team Principal BMW i Andretti Motorsport):

“Bern as a venue is uncharted territory for every Formula E team. In
the first instance, this poses organisational and logistical
challenges for us because we need to get to grips with a new
environment. From a racing perspective we have some simulation data,
but will only really be able to tell what is in store once we get
there. This is good news for Alexander Sims, since as a Formula E
rookie this time he will be starting the race weekend on exactly the
same basis as his experienced rivals. We hope that the track will suit
us and that we can end the European season on a high.”

 

Alexander Sims (#27 BMW iFE.18):

“It feels good to be coming to Bern with a top ten result in Berlin
under my belt. The circuit there will be new for everybody, so we are
all starting under the same conditions. The goal must be to get used
to the conditions as quickly as possible and to have a steep learning
curve. At first glance, the track looks very tight and has plenty of
climbs and descents. It is very different to the circuit in Berlin. I
am excited about the challenge as Formula E provides new surprises
from race to race.”

 

António Félix da Costa (#28 BMW iFE.18):

“Bern is the last race before the grand season finale in New York.
Looking at the championship, it is especially important to record a
good result there and hopefully be involved in the battle for the win.
The circuit looks very exciting but we will only get a real feeling
for it when we are there, as none of us have driven in Bern before.
Switzerland was a great host last year, so I am really looking forward
to the race.”

 

The FANBOOST vote.

FANBOOST gives Formula E fans the opportunity to vote for their
favourite driver and award them an extra boost of power during the
race. The five drivers with the most FANBOOST votes are awarded a
significant burst of power, which they can deploy in a five-second
window during the second half of the race. Fans can vote for their
favourite driver in the six days prior to, and leading up to 15
minutes into, each race. Each fan can vote once per day. There are
three ways to vote: Online at https://fanboost.fiaformulae.com/,
via the official Formula E App or on Twitter using the hashtag
#FANBOOST plus the drivers first and last name as a one-word hashtag.

 

Hashtags of the BMW i Andretti Motorsport drivers:

#AlexanderSims

#AntonioFelixdaCosta

 

The BMW i Fleet

BMW i is “Official Vehicle Partner” of the ABB FIA Formula E
Championship in Season 5. Spearheading the fleet are two Safety Cars:
The BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car (combined fuel consumption: 2.0 l/100
km; combined power consumption: 14.5 kWh/100 km; combined CO2
emissions: 46 g/km)*, which has been specially modified for use at the
racetrack, and the BMW i8 Coupé Safety Car (combined fuel consumption:
1.8 l/100 km; combined power consumption: 14.0 kWh/100 km; combined
CO2 emissions: 42 g/km)*. The BMW i fleet also includes the BMW i3s
(combined fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100 km; combined energy consumption:
14.3 kWh; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km)* as “Race
Director Car” and the BMW 530e (combined fuel consumption: 2.2-2.1
l/100 km; combined energy consumption: 13.6-13.3 kWh/100 km; combined
CO2 emissions: 49-47 g/km)* in its role as “Medical Car”.