An electrifying Portuguese battle is on the cards, as Kristoffersson hunts sixth championship crown.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The second season of the FIA World Rallycross Championship's electric era will race into life at Montalegre (this weekend), and having clinched an extraordinary fifth title last year, Johan Kristoffersson is seeking a sixth title in 2023 – but the Swede has a host of high-caliber rivals all determined to stop him in his tracks.

Amongst them is Timmy Hansen, the driver who has finished runner-up to Kristoffersson in each of the past two seasons. The two Swedes clashed at Montalegre last September and have engaged in countless close battles since – with many more surely in prospect over the coming months. 

Hansen's younger Kevin Hansen will also look for an upturn in form this season, as they pilot two fresh-looking Peugeot 208 RX1es. 

Finishing third in the standings in both 2021 and 2022, last year's Portuguese winner (round 5), Niclas Gronholm returns with the Construction Equipment Dealer Team and will look to complete the hat-trick this weekend.

His team-mate for the upcoming season is history maker Klara Andersson, who became the first female to reach the podium in World Rallycross last year. Having concluded her rookie season with arguably her finest performance to date, the young Swede aims to build upon her impressive progress.

Another newcomer who firmly established himself among the elite in 2022 was none other than Gustav Bergström, who claimed three consecutive podium finishes and is now targeting the next step. 

Kristoffersson's team-mate Ole Christian Veiby in the sister VW, has his sights solidly set on breaking his World RX duck following an accomplished comeback that yielded top three results in half of the rounds, despite suffering from more than his fair share of ill fortune.

"It feels good to be back with something familiar. Last year everything felt new to me," Veiby said. "I'm getting closer to Johan, so it would be nice to even win a race this year."

Fresh from the rally-raid championship, Guerlain Chicherit returns after reviving an automotive icon - the Lancia Delta Integrale, which made its World RX debut in the season finale at the Nürburgring and proved to be competitive straight off the bat.

Chicherit is lining up two Lancias with the Special ONE Racing team in 2023, he will be partnered by none other than WRC legend Sébastien Loeb, who returns following four seasons away from the grid. During his previous stint in the World Rallycross, the Frenchman achieved two victories and 15 further podium appearances from 36 outings. 

Completing the field in 2023 is two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider in the ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport SEAT Ibiza RX1e – another championship returnee. The German – a veteran of 42 World RX starts to date – is renowned as a tough competitor on the track.

With the field firmly poised to take the fight to Kristoffersson, we are without a doubt in for an electrifying season. 

Speaking at the post-season test in Portugal last week, Johan said: "The new car is faster and so much more fun to drive. This year we will see tighter racing and more takeovers."

These words are rather ominus for his rivals... let the racing begin!  

PRE-SEASON TESTING - FASTEST TIMES IN PORTUGAL:

DAY ONE: Johan Kristoffersson (best lap: 40.229)

DAY TWO: Ole Christian Veiby (best lap: 39.772)

DAY THREE: Johan Kristoffersson (best lap: 38.959) 

THE TRACK: 

Portugal’s picturesque and historic Montalegre track formed part of the original FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar back in 2014, and its undulating layout and unpredictable weather has produced many breathtaking battles over the years.

The 945m track is located 1,000m above sea level, requiring engines to be finely tuned to deal with the altitude. From a long start/finish straight, drivers brake hard for the first corner – a tight right-hand hairpin – before taking a little bit of kerb as they flick through the left-right chicane that follows.

A fast left-hander then leads downhill into a right as the surface turns from asphalt into the loose and sandy gravel that characterises Montalegre before a steep uphill climb precedes another left followed by a long, fast right-hander. The final section of the lap is marked by a tricky surface change and a series of chicanes – inviting drivers to brush the barriers on both sides, but without getting too close...

2023 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP: ENTRY LIST

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - VW Polo RX1e

Sebastien Loeb (Special ONE Racing) - Lancia Delta Evo-e RX

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e

Guerlain Chicherit (Special ONE Racing) - Lancia Delta Evo-e RX

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - VW Polo RX1e

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - VW Polo RX1e

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e

Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) SEAT Ibiza RX1e

ROUND 1 - WORLD RX OF PORTUGAL (Portguese time). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 10:00

SUPERPOLE: 11:50

HEAT 1: 13:30

HEAT 2: 15:30

SUNDAY:

PRACTICE: 09:00

HEAT 3: 10:30

HEAT 4: 13:00

SEMI-FINALS and FINALS (from): 15:00

PODIUM: 15:50

Reigning champions Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS sets sights on World RX title defense with three-car assault.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS has its sights firmly set on a successful title defense in the FIA World Rallycross Championship this year, after unveiling the three-strong line-up with which it will do battle for Drivers’ and Teams’ glory.

The Kristoffersson Motorsport-run squad set the pace from the outset during the inaugural electric World RX era last year, with super Swede Johan Kristoffersson winning eight of the ten rounds and topping every SuperPole session behind the wheel of his Volkswagen RX1e – on his inexorable march to a fifth World Championship crown.

The five-time World Champion Kristoffersson will return in 2023 to defend his crown but is aware that the team will be hunted rather than hunters. 

"It’s going to be fun! We are clearly the hunted, but that’s a position I enjoy. The competition was already tough last year, and now we have Sébastien Loeb coming in – and everybody knows what he’s capable of," Kristoffersson said.

"It’s good to have had the opportunity to drive during the winter and we have done what we can to further optimise our cars, but I am absolutely sure that the other teams have done the same. It will be exciting to see who has done their homework best."

Team-mate Ole Christian Veiby contributed to the successful campaign of the Teams’ title with five podium appearances of his own, celebrating his full-time return to the dual-surface discipline following an absence of almost seven years with fourth place in the championship standings. 

"I feel more confident and like I can lower my shoulders a bit this season. Last year went relatively well for me, but it will be easier to come back with the experience gained and build upon what we have started – and the winter rallies have enabled me to add a lot of miles under my belt," the Norweigan said.

"I need to get onto the pace faster during race weekends, but whereas last season, many of the circuits were new to me, now I know much more about what to expect. Montalegre is a nice track that suits us well, so hopefully we can get off to a strong start."

While not running under the same Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS banner, 20-year-old Gustav Bergström enjoyed an excellent rookie campaign in rallycross’ top flight, reaching the rostrum on three consecutive occasions mid-season on his way to sixth in the overall classification. The young star's calendar is yet to be finalized due to clashing commitments, but he aims to 'do even better in 2023'.

"I still have a lot to learn, and I was probably a little too kind in many situations last year, but I’ll continue to watch what Johan does and try to copy and paste..." Bergstrom said.

All three drivers will be back for a renewed assault on honours in 2023, and none have been idle over the winter months. Kristoffersson and Veiby have kept themselves sharp by competing in various rallies and regional rallycross competitions, with the Swede also active in the Race of Champions and Extreme E and the Norwegian spending a lot of time at KMS’ Arvika workshop. Bergström, for his part, has been busy honing his skills in ice-driving and go-karts.

"We feel well-prepared for the upcoming World RX season. Johan is our anchor and a great team-mate for both Ole Christian and Gustav, and his performances and results speak for themselves. We build a lot around him," Tommy Kristoffersson, Team Manager, Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS, said.

"Ole Christian made a strong comeback last year, but due to some technical problems with his car that cost him a lot of track time, he didn’t get to show his full potential. He is extremely focussed and dedicated, and our hope is that he will win a round this year and fight for a top three championship finish. He will be very important in the Teams’ battle, while Gustav has real natural talent and has impressed me greatly with his calm nature and smart driving.

"That continuity can only play in our favour, and it is the same with our team members and partners. We have an incredibly skilled group of engineers and mechanics boasting enormous experience and expertise, and we are humbly grateful for the ongoing and faithful support of Volkswagen, Bauhaus and Red Bull. We will do everything we can to repay their trust in us and to fight for both championship titles once again."

Andersson signs multi-year deal with CE Dealer Team.

PHOTO CREDIT: CE Dealer Team.

Rallycross star Klara Andersson has been rewarded for her impressive rookie season in the FIA World Rallycross Championship with a multi-year contract at the Construction Equipment Dealer Team.

Andersson joined the World RX grid in Hell, Norway last summer – immediately turning heads as she advanced to the final on her debut. She went on to finish ahead of experienced team-mate Niclas Grönholm – seven times an event-winner in the series.

Barely two months later, the talented Swede made history by becoming the first female driver ever to ascend the podium in rallycross’ top flight when she placed third at Montalegre in Portugal. She then capped her maiden campaign by coming within an ace of defeating multiple world champion Johan Kristoffersson in the pair’s progression race at Germany’s Nürburgring.

Klara continued her impressive form winning the RX150 Rallycross round at Lydden Hill last weekend. Having penned a new deal, the Swedish Superstar is aiming to accelerate her progression in the second season of World RX’s ground-breaking new electric era in 2023, when she will join forces with Grönholm once again.

“Chances like these are a one-in-a million opportunity, and I am beyond grateful for the team’s belief in me as a driver. I’m super-excited to see what we can achieve together in the future," she said.

“Starting my World RX career with CE Dealer Team last year was amazing, and to continue with them for 2023 and beyond is really inspiring for me as a young driver. I’m very happy to keep racing with my team-mate Niclas – we work really well together. Now I’ve done my rookie year and I’ve learned so much, it’s time for the next step forward.”

Team Manager Jussi Pinomäki has high hopes for what Andersson can accomplish over the coming years with the team.

“We are delighted to have Klara on-board with us in a long-term set-up after a really impressive first World RX season,” he said. “No matter who you are, your debut season in an FIA World Championship is a baptism of fire, but Klara handled it like a driver with considerably more experience than she has, taking leaps forward in her personal development throughout the year. We look forward to a thrilling journey ahead, challenging the boundaries and norms of motorsport together.”

EXCLUSIVE: “It wasn’t easy” after being dropped by Red Bull, but “DTM drive was the best thing to happen” as “I quickly overcame my frustration” and “had fun racing again” - Da Costa.

PHOTO CREDIT: TAG Heuer Porsche.

AUTHOR: Junaid Samodien

Success in life is not dished out, it's earned! But how you achieve that success is quite a complex task for everyone, including elite athletes who encounter and face many highs and lows throughout their careers. With good quality coaching and training (both mentally and physically) each individual or sportsman will have the necessary tools to overcome any obstacle and push through to succeed.  

Antonio Felix Da Costa is one such example, of overcoming a potential career-altering moment, and still persevering despite adversity coming through to succeed and enjoy racing once more. 

If we rewind a few years, da Costa’s motorsport career could have been a lot different. In 2008, the Portuguese star competed in Formula Renault, and a year later, he won the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC Championship. As a reward, he was given a test drive with Formula One team, Sahara Force India at the 2010 young drivers’ test where he placed third on the timing sheets. 

With a blossoming career, the Portuguese driver competed in GP3 Series, Formula Three Cup, and the Macau Grand Prix with the Carlin Motorsport team, and soon after was signed to the Red Bull junior driver programme headed by Dr. Helmut Marko. 

Having joined a prestigious junior driver programme, da Costa took part in Formula One test sessions with Red Bull Racing from 2012-13, alongside his regular racing programme. 

In 2013, he finished third place in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship. That year, he was informed that his future was secure with Red Bull and that he would make the step into Formula One with Scuderia Toro Rosso, but that never materialized. The seat instead went to GP3 champion Daniil Kvyat. 

Despite having his dreams dashed right in front of his very eyes, da Costa found a home in the DTM championship in 2014 with BMW, and that same year, he joined the all-electric Formula E Championship with Amlin Aguri. 

Despite the blows, he got back up and fought to succeed, as Vince Lombardi Jr. once said: “It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up.” To this day, the 31-year-old driver competes in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, as well as the FIA World Endurance Championship. 

2022 FIA WEC LMP2 CHAMPIONS - Will Stevens, Roberto González, and Antonio Felix Da Costa (right).
PHOTO CREDIT: Antonio Felix Da Costa. 

With a junior championship, and two FIA world titles to his record, Antonio Felix da Costa has a wealth of experience when it comes to dealing with all sorts of highs and lows, but as we know for athletes mental strength is one of the most important elements that goes hand-in-hand with training. 

Some may argue that racing drivers can’t be classified as an athlete, but they are wrong! Why? Simply, because driving a car competitively at high speeds takes a tremendous toll on the human body and mind. These drivers are required to be physically fit, and mentally strong, as well as have the ability to make decisions within split seconds whilst driving. But, how important is the mental strength of a driver? 

“Very, very important,” Antonio Felix da Costa told Slipstream SA. “Confidence is a big part of our performance once we're in the car. And it's easy for it to be shut down sometimes with results or maybe not having the right people around you or just being on a wave of bad results.”

“Now that I'm a little bit older, a bit more experienced, I've been through some bad slumps many, many times. And, I still worry, of course, because I don't like being in a wave of bad results, but I have enough experience and knowledge, and I work with a mental coach back home. I always kind of find my way back. And so yeah, it's actually fun, really fun part of the process when you're struggling and you come back,” he said.

In life, having a dream versus achieving it is a very difficult task, but many accomplish them with hard work and perseverance. Having had a successful junior career, as previously mentioned, and being drafted into the Red Bull junior drivers programme, Antonio could have been Portugal’s sixth Formula 1 driver behind Tiago Monteiro, but unfortunately, he received a phone call from Dr. Helmut Marko in October 2013 informing him that he will not progress to Formula 1 in 2014.

It’s never easy having your dreams dashed over the phone but dealing with that disappointment is what defines great sportsmen and women. 

“It wasn't easy, of course, because obviously not only myself but a lot of fans, family, friends, everyone was kind of thinking that it was a sure thing that I was going to end up in Formula One, and things happened the way they did. And so, obviously, it was already tough on me. But having seen everyone disappointed and sad as well, it's a bit of extra weight on you,” the Portuguese driver explained.

“But I must say, going to DTM was the best thing that happened to me, and becoming a factory driver there. I quickly overcame my frustration and I started having fun racing cars again and that helped obviously.” 

In our current day and age, we see drivers hopping from championship to championship where possible, for example, Formula E to the World Endurance Championship, but is it challenging to adapt or does it come with relative ease thanks to experience? 

“I think experience is part of it,” da Costa said. “But yeah, you know, just driving loads of different cars all the time opens your mindset and it’s actually something that I really like doing.”

Da Costa racing his TAG Heuer Porsche in Cape Town.
PHOTO CREDIT: TAG Heuer Porsche.

It is often said that once the helmet goes on a driver goes into their own zone. Friendships become rivalries, and the beast is unleashed. But, do drivers think of anything specifically when climbing onboard their cars, or when stationary on the grid moments before the start? 

“You think about different things, but I have no problems mixing things up. Once the helmet goes on we are rivals,” he explained.

da Costa believes that mutual respect is important regardless of fierce and competitive rivalries, he says: “If you have respect each other, then you just win or lose. But you need to be a good winner and a good loser. And that's it! I'm able to go for golfing sessions or lunches with these guys (the Formula E drivers). Like, just yesterday [before the Cape Town E-Prix weekend], I had lunch with Nick [Cassidy] and Jean-Eric [Vergne], and I had the great pleasure of beating Nick at golfing (which is a lie), but when the helmet goes we are rivals.” 

Antonio Felix da Costa took his first victory with Porsche TAG in Cape Town after an extraordinary drive from 11th on the grid that included two astounding high-speed overtakes at the tight turn eight. And, after a fourth-place finish last time out in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he now finds himself 28 points off the championship lead in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with ten rounds remaining.

Loeb "can't wait" to make World RX return in Lancia Delta.

PHOTO CREDIT: Special ONE Racing

Nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb will make a full-time return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship this year behind the wheel of a Lancia Delta Evo-e RX for Special ONE Racing.

Rallycross fans will fondly remember Loeb’s three seasons spent competing in World RX in a Peugeot 208 WRX from 2016 to 2018 – yielding two victories and 15 podium finishes from 36 outings. 

Five years on from his rallycross departure, the Frenchman is back, and he will join forces with Special ONE founder Guerlain Chicherit. "I’m from a generation that was brought up seeing wins by Lancia Deltas in rallying, so naturally I have a weakness for this car," he said.

"But when Guerlain spoke to me the first time about tackling a rallycross season with it, I thought he was mad! Then I tried the car last December and was immediately won over by its dynamic qualities. I have great faith in this project and I can’t wait to champion it on tracks around the world."

"I’m very motivated for the challenge, and I think rallycross is the ideal discipline for electrification because we have a lot of power and the races are short. These cars are exciting to drive, and World RX is the perfect platform to promote their evolution. The show on-track is just amazing, with great fights and even more spectacular action than before, and now we have the opportunity to attract a whole new generation of fans."

PHOTO CREDIT: Special ONE Racing

As a new player in the mobility landscape, Special ONE’s aim is to manufacture and distribute exclusive, eco-friendly retrofits of classic sports vehicles, with the team’s brace of new-generation, 500kW (680bhp) electric rallycross beasts – designed and built by GCK Performance.

Special ONE Racing has committed to run its two Delta Evo-e RXs in World RX for at least three seasons.

The team founder, and four-time Free Skiing World Champion Guerlain Chicherit, gave the Lancia a promising debut at the 2022 World RX season finale at Germany’s Nürburgring, but this year, he aims to make history!

"It’s a dream of mine to be able to align two cars from my own brand with World RX, one of which is entrusted to a sporting legend," he said. "The scene is set to see Special ONE Racing become a top-notch team. From this season, we’ll have the opportunity to make history, becoming the first to have a retrofitted car win a World Championship event. Let’s get going!"

The first of nine rounds in the 2023 FIA World RX season is set to take place on 03 and 04 June in Montalegre, Portugal.

Grönholm pens new multi-year extension with CE Dealer Team.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Niclas Grönholm has committed his future to the Construction Equipment Dealer Team after signing a multi-year contract extension. 

The Finn joined the Construction Equipment Dealer Team last year after a lengthy spell with family team GRX Taneco, where he claimed seven podium finishes and six victories.

Grönholm has been a World RX front-runner since 2019 – a year where he could have almost certainly been in the title fight, but unfortunately a bout of appendicitis ruled him out of two events.

Last year, he finished third in the drivers' standings, claiming one victory and a total of four podium finishes, but this year, the Finn is aiming to make further progress. 

“I’m thrilled to get continued trust to move forward in our groundbreaking World RX journey together, which really motivates me ahead of the challenges to come,” Grönholm said.

“While we had a strong first season for the team, I’m never satisfied until we are at the very top – and that’s just what we have worked very hard for throughout the winter. The opposition will no doubt be just as tough this season, but we continue to work in earnest to achieve our goals. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of my PWR RX1e!”

CE Dealer Team debuted in World RX in 2022, placing third in the Teams’ standings. In retaining Niclas, the Swedish squad reinforces its long-term commitment to competing at the international pinnacle of sport and the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

“We reached our initial goals for the first season by winning races, finishing in the top three overall and highlighting a more diverse and sustainable motorsport world,” Team Manager, Jussi Pinomäki said, “but we are far from satisfied.

“We will continue to push the envelope, both on and off-track. The future is electric, inclusive and exciting – something we will continue to work hard for. And our long-term goal of challenging for the FIA World Rallycross Championship titles has not changed.”

Niclas' team-mate will be announced later this week. 

The Cape Town E-Prix "fulfilled it’s mission to be a top three race".

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

AUTHOR: Junaid Samodien

The eagerly anticipated Cape Town E-Prix has now come and gone, and according to event promoter Iain Banner “it was a big success.”

Banner, who played an instrumental role in bringing the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to the city, said: “Part of what we are doing with the race was to focus on making a difference, creating jobs and yes, all in the renewable sector, in the green economy.”

The E-Prix “fulfilled it’s mission to be a top three race”, Banner said, who also added that the race was a complete sell-out with 25,983 tickets sold. 

“It was really heartened by Nelson Piquet Jr, one of the Formula E commentators saying: This is the best Formula E race I have ever been to.’ Now, I take those sort of comments with humility.”

Banner also mentioned that he always had confidence that the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix would be a sell, despite the other doubting him, and has set a new target for 2024. “My target for next year is 40,000. I believe quite easily that we will sell 40,000 and that will be sold out,” he said.

Despite the successes of the Africa’s first Formula E race, event promoters E-Movement will look into ways of improving for the future. 

“There are adjustments that are required. For example, we need to improve. We had sufficient food and beverages in our fan areas. We had sufficient quantities, but we didn't have enough distribution points. So we need more local vendors and we want to support local business and I'm looking forward to us expanding on the hospitality offering. It's a full days experience. There's all these things going on that make for an incredible value day so that we will be focusing on,” Banner said. 

The 2.921 kilometer circuit provided quite challenging for the drivers, not only due to the challenging turns 9 and 10, the fast nature of the track, but the bumpy nature of the circuit was a big talking point, which the event promoter aims to address for next year. 

“There are two areas that we'd like to improve on, and that is the bumpy areas on the track, particularly down Beach Road (7, 8 and 9) and turning into Fritz Sonnenberg (turn 10), there were two heavy bumpy areas. Those will be those will be dealt with to create a smoother surface.”

“I don't have the absolute fact, but one of the reasons that Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) had an overpower penalty, was because they showed that he had too much power when the car bounced upwards, the inverter somehow showed a higher power delivery because there was no resistance from the road,” Banner said.

Teams, drivers and international media were left quite impressed with the inaugural E-Prix, and are quite hopeful of a return next season, but Banner quickly to addressed the topic, saying: “We signed a five year contract with the five year extension. It was dependent on the outcome of year one. We had to prove our ability to put on a world class race that stands up with the best, and we've done that. Now it's a case of putting the funding together for years two and beyond, which is something I'm immediately focusing my mind on. I know we can make Africa proud. Never mind the Cape or South Africa. We can make Africa proud. Let's do that. Let's do that. Not for the next 5 or 10 years, but for the next 20 years. That's my commitment. I believe that we are well entrenched with the Formula E decision makers.”

With planning well underway for next year, the provisional 2023/24 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is expected to be published around mid-May, whilst the final dates are confirmed at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in October. 

“I'm very optimistic that we will find Cape Town for the first time on the provisional calendar [for Season 10] because last year we were not,” he said. 

FEATURE STORY: How Maserati MSG Racing designed its striking Formula E Livery

PHOTO CREDIT: Maserati MSG Racing. 

AUTHOR: Junaid Samodien

Elegance, craftsmanship, performance and pedigree, are but a few descriptive words that one could associate with the iconic Italian automotive brand, Maserati. 

With over 100-years of history, Maserati expanded from a family-run tuning business which rapidly expanded into vehicle and race car manufacturing. And, in 1926, an historic moment happened when they rolled out their first car out of the shop, named “Tipo 26”, which was later raced to victory at the Targa Florio by Alfieri Maserati. 

Soon after their early racing success, the Maserati brothers began to build customer cars to help fund their racing programme. They then decided the company required a new direction, whilst they focused on the engineering side of the company. Adolfo Orsi, an Italian entrepreneur was brought in to oversee the business, but later purchased Maserati, and moved it to Modena.

In the post-war era, Maserati moved to Formula One, which certainly was a challenge at first when going up against a strong Alfa Romeo team, as well as Talbot-Logo, and an emerging force, Ferrari. But, as the years progressed and challenges continued, Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio joined the team, and he took them to two drivers’ championships, 9 Grand Prix and 9 pole positions. The Italian brand remained in F1 until 1969. 

As life evolved, so did the Maserati brand, when the Fiat Group acquired the company in 1993, and through the years, the business began to grow in all spheres, where it then began to compete against other high performance brands, namely: Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW.  

PHOTO CREDIT: Maserati MSG Racing

The biggest surprise came in 2022, when Maserati took a major step forward in solidifying its future in the automotive fraternity, announcing a return to racing after 60-long years, but not in usual combustion engine championships. Instead, the iconic Trident brand will race in the all-electric ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

And, whilst the announcement raised quite a few questions, including: why, what and when? In the ever-evolving world, and its technology, Formula E is the natural choice for big automotive manufacturers these days. 

“Maserati chose Formula E because it's a natural choice. We were born on track and it was great to come back to the racing circuit, but also because we have a strong mission in E-mobility and our future is electric with the Folgore range,” Giovanni Sgro, Head of Maserati Corse, said. 

“By 2025, every single one of our range, we'll have an electric version, and by 2030 Maserati is only going to produce electric vehicles. So Formula E is a great place for us to showcase our competitiveness and also focus on technology transfer from track to road.” 

The iconic “Tipo” designation returns in 2023, with Maserati’s first electric racing car. The Maserati Tipo Folgore (Type Thunderbolt) was revealed late last year, and features a timeless and iconic blue tone, synonymous with Maserati. 

But something that set’s the Italian automotive brand apart is the distinct livery, which defines the cars character, shape and show casing its history. 

And, whilst a racing livery seems more of a decorative feature in motorsport, sets race cars apart and gives partners more exposure. Just how does a team design their livery, choice the colour, and decide on the branding locations? We investigate this with the help of Giovanni Sgro, the Head of Maserati Corse. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Maserati MSG Racing

From various angles, the Maserati Tipo Folgore (Gen 3 car) captures the imagination of motorsport fans, with it’s elegant livery lines and logo placements, but why has the team actually chosen blue, as they return to racing?

“Blue is our Maserati colour, so we wanted to have that be reflected on the car strongly,” Giovanni Sgro said. 

He goes on further to explain that “the trident is the symbol competitiveness and the white line across the border, you know, this year's shape of the car is triangular, it's very flat and this line really accentuates the colour blue. The contrast is perfect. And then obviously we have the trident on the back of the car has the Italian flag in the centre. We have a couple of things that a represent Maserati on this car, which is obviously the blue, the trident and the Italian flag, we're the only Italian manufacturer in Formula E.”

The visible LGBTQIA+ rainbow colours on the front wing endplates.
PHOTO CREDIT: Maserati MSG Racing

We currently live in a world that that is very decisive, and lacks inclusion, but something that sets the Maserati MSG Racing’s livery apart is their aim to send a message worldwide about equality, diversity and inclusion, and this has been done with the inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ rainbow on the front wing endplate. 

“It's a strong message that the Maserati MSG Racing team wants to continue to, to push forward equality, diversity and inclusion. So, that is why the flag was put on the front wing endplates. It seems like a relevant positioning for that kind of visibility,” he explained. 

When conceptualizing the design of a racing cars livery, elegance, uniqueness and brand visibility are all important elements that need to be taken into account, but how much work actually goes into the design process – months, weeks or days? 

PHOTO CREDIT: Maserati MSG Racing

The Head of Maserati Course, explains the process: “Well, the car was designed by Maserati's Centro Stile, and I don't remember exactly how many weeks we took to design it, but there is a lot of back and forth. There's a lot of concepts, there's a lot of brainstorming, there's a lot of ideas that we want to put forward. You want to change small tweaks, big tweaks, a lot of different things. And so I think that it does take some time, but it's worth it because then when you put the car on track, you also have to design the car based on the visibility that it has on the track. You want to really accentuate not only the base colours, but you also want to accentuate the partners who are part of the team.”

Together with the design of a livery, comes the important placement of partner/sponsor logo’s. These logo placements allow the for more brand awareness and exposure, which helps grow a brands popularity, and funds the team(s). But, just how does a team decide on these placements? 

“That's also part of a design because you don't want to just put them anywhere. You want to make sure that there's a good flow to the car. And that's why the car looks the way it does. I'm biased, but obviously I think the car looks beautiful,” Sgro said. “The simplicity of it is the beauty of this car. And, I personally think that less is more. We did a really great job of making the car look luxurious.”

Slipstream SA would like to thank Elza Smit (Maserati South Africa) and Giovanni Sgro (Head of Maserati Corse) for their assistance in the compilation of this special feature story. 

The FIA say “once duly validated” only then will new Gen3 mirrors get introduced to improve rear-view visibility.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

AUTHOR: Junaid Samodien

Season nine of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has seen the arrival of a new-era, Gen3. The new Generation 3 car is a totally new concept, with more power, it's lightweight and uses new Hankook tires, but despite it being a state of the art racing machine there are of course of some issues that need to be addressed. One such issue, is the rear-view mirror visibility, which has become a talking point since the season’s pre-season test in Valencia last December (2022). 

The visibility issue(s) has been a talking point, but recently reared it’s head at the Cape Town E-Prix last week, when two-time Formula E Champion Jean-Eric Vergne (JEV) said he could not see Antonio Felix da Costa fighting from behind for race victory. 

The on-track battle between Vergne and former team-mate, now rival, Da Costa was an electrifying affair. Whilst leading the TAG Heuer Porsche driver missed a strategic Attack Mode sensor, which saw him drop behind JEV. But, with just two laps remaining Da Costa saw his opportunity and pounced. 

The Portuguese driver pulled off a ballsy over-under overtake, which meant he initially placed the car on the outside of Vergne before quickly switching direction to the left, and forcing he’s way alongside to claim the race lead. He then hung on to win the race, and whilst it was pure joy and elation for him. Vergne on the other hand was disappointed and frustrated because he couldn’t see his rival behind. 

“I am just a bit frustrated because I genuinely didn’t see him [Antonio Felix Da Costa] coming. I think it’s been four or five races that we have been complaining about these mirrors, but nothing has changed or been done, and we simply can’t see anything. So, I really hope that they can introduce new mirrors very soon because it’s very dangerous. In Free Practice, you can impede a lot of drivers because you don’t see them, and it’s the same situation in the race,” Vergne said. 

Note the rear-view mirrors of the Antonio Felix Da Costa's TAG Heuer Porsche.
PHOTO CREDIT: Slipstream SA/Junaid Samodien 

And, whilst Vergne was disappointed about the visibility issues when fighting for the race victory, the FIA Technical Regulations (for 2022-23) under Safety Equipment states that a “driver shall be required to identify any letter or number, 150 mm high and 100 mm wide, placed anywhere on boards behind the car, the positions of which are detailed has below: Height: From 400 mm to 1100 mm from the ground. Width: 2000 mm either side of the centre line of the car. Position: 10 m behind the rear axle line of the car.”

This intern means that the initial idea around the rear-view mirror visibility is correct, however, the actual design could be the issue. 

The FIA adds in their technical regulations that teams are allowed to place cameras in the mirrors, with a rear-view display on the steering wheels (teams are yet to adopt this approach).

But the question remains, can the drivers' expect a reaction from the FIA regarding the visibility issues, and is there a solution in the works? Slipstream SA caught up with the FIA’s Formula E media delegate, Éric Bellegarde to find out. 

“This [the mirrors] is something we are working on and updated mirrors will be introduced once duly validated,” Bellegarde said.

NIO 333 sets out clear path to return to competitive form.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

Author: Junaid Samodien

NIO 333 team boss Alex Hui says he wants the team to be in the position to fight at the front of the field, as they work to address the team's lack of competitiveness. 

NIO’s last victory came in 2015 at Moscow E-Prix, but under the name: NEXTEV TCR, but ever since then the team underwent a number of changes, including a new team name (NIO) and managerial changes. 

The team's last podium came from Oliver Turvey in 2018, when he claimed a second-place finish at the Mexico City E-Prix, but ever since the team has endured a challenging time lingering at the tail end of the constructors championship. 

Having lingered at the tail end of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship teams’ championship for four seasons, the new Gen3 era, poses a new opportunity to gain ground and find improvements necessary to be competitive again. 

And, with five rounds complete in the 2022-23 season, Nio333 have thus far scored 19 points (on par with their 2020-21 seasons total tally), but team principal Alex Hui admits that the team are targeting Gen3.5 to make the necessary steps forward. 

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA FORMULA E WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

“Our goal is to bring the team back to fighting at the front towards the second cycle of Gen 3, which is 3.5, because we know that we still have time to fix everything, we still lack resources and procedures in some areas, and we are trying to do as much as we can for this year,” Alex Hui, Team Principal of NIO 333 Racing Formula E Team, said. 

“The package is more or less frozen from this season to next. So, the big manufacturers will be able to do more development with the current package, which we will try to, but I think the rate of development for us as a smaller team will be more limited, and we are already looking at season eleven on how to make a big step forward with the new package.”

Hui added that he feels the team have made an improvement compared to the 2021-22 season, but feels there are areas where the team can do better to extract more performance.

“We have improved our package, but it’s not enough. Although there are some differences with the package, we will keep trying to extract more performance. We’ve also seen that there are some differences in performance between customer teams and manufacturers. So, there are a lot of things that the team can do better to extract performance, which we will try to polish for this season and next season,” he said.

He also admitted to the fact their results weren't good enough in previous seasons, and that is why they aren't able to attract star drivers, however, he makes it clear that Sergio Sette Camara and Dan Ticktum have been driving very well this season, and added that there feedback was relatively similar, which helps drive the team forward. 

Newly launched Formula Student Africa aims to break the mold by leading e-mobility on the African continent.

Author: Junaid Samodien

Formula Student, a student engineering competition held annually in the United Kingdom, sees student teams around the world design, build, test, and race a small-scale Formula style racing car, but the newly launched Formula Student Africa (FSA) programme will differ slightly, as it aims to focus primarily on e-mobility in Africa.

FSA will be supported by partners, the University of Warwick and Warwick Racing, E-Movement, and Paramount Global, to help drive it’s aim to educate audiences on e-mobility and related skills development opportunities, upskill graduates and mechanics, and create a pipeline of engineering, commerce and technology talent to accelerate e-mobility and related sustainability industries in Africa. 

This will be achieved with the development of various programmes, activations, events and edutainment content with job creation, as a sole focus in a number of industries including: computing, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, racing, solar, supply chains, mining, and the legal industry in terms of regulation and policymaking. FSA will also provide many possibilities for start-ups and entrepreneurs.

“While the rest of the world takes steps towards a zero-emission transportation sector and leveraging e-mobility to create opportunities and jobs, we know that Africa is capable of doing far more and doing it faster,” Alex McLeod, founder of Formula Student Africa, said. 

“Mobility is a fundamental lifeline that connects people to jobs, education and critical services. E-mobility creates even more opportunities around these.” 

PHOTO CREDIT: University of Warwick/Warwick Racing.

Students from the University of Warwick and Warwick Racing were present at the launch of FSA in Cape Town. These students will help to share knowledge on the building and racing EV vehicles, as they hope to help drive the electrification of transport in and around Africa.

“We are one of the leaders [for Formula Student Africa]. So, we work closely with Formula Student, as a company and Alex [McLeod] to establish all the rules, and help universities like UCT start this competition,” Jan Stebnicki, Chief of Business Operations at Warwick Racing said.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) are among six South African universities, including the University of Cape Town, University of Johannesburg, University of South Africa, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and the University of the Witwatersrand, who have already signed up for the series. 

DID YOU KNOW: CPUT made history in 2012, when they became

the first South African university to compete

 in Formula Student (UK), and later returned to compete in 2014. 

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University based in Port Elizabeth have also announced their intentions to collaborate with the University of Warwick’s WMG with their research into EV batteries. 

So, what does the Formula Student Africa racing programme actually entail? Well, the six universities will have to design, build, test and race an electric Formula style car, as well as design the batteries themselves. And, there are business elements, as well (Business Management and Marketing). For more information visit www.formulastudent.africa. 

Remarkable Da Costa claims victory at the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix after sensational overtake on Vergne.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix Da Costa takes top honors at the fifth round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Cape Town on Sunday, having held off a charging Vergne on the final lap. 

The Cape Town E-Prix circuit provided to be a real challenge for the drivers due to it's fast flowing nature, and balls to the walls characteristic, which means any lap of concentration or error will be punished. 

Harsh as that may sound, Nissan's Sacha Fenestraz started from pole position, and looked set control the opening stages of the race after battling Maxillian Guenther and Nick Cassidy in the early stages. 

And, whilst those fought ahead running into turn 10 on the first lap, Sebastien Buemi slightly misjudged his braking point, and unfortunately, got hit in the rear by championship leader Pascal Wehrlein.

After waving some yellows to caution the drivers of an incident ahead, the full course yellow was deployed, and in the process Guenther overtook Fenestraz and held the position for quite some time. 

Further down the pitlane, Maserati MSG Racing finally showed some turn in form, but it was not to be for Edoardo Mortara, who exited the race with a technical issue. 

Maserati's neighbors in the Cape Town pitlane, Jaguar TCS Racing had a day to forget. First, it was Sam Bird who hit the barrier exiting turn 9, and ricocheting into Mortara's Maserati. The team tried all they could, but they just ran out of time. Having been taken out by he's team-mate in Hyderabad, Mitch Evans quietly got on with his race before the Stewards handed him a drive through penalty for a overpower infringement. Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) suffered a similar fate, but for a team infringement - "not respecting the minimum tyre pressures."

But that's not all folks... prior to qualifying, Mahindra Racing announced the formal withdrawal of all their powered cars due to a suspension issue. 

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

The attack mode strategies soon came into play with Sacha Fenestraz, Nick Cassidy, Jean-Eric Vergne and Antonio Felix Da Costa all fighting for track position. 

Maserati could have brought some good results today, but after attacking the braking zone into turn 1, Guenther hit the wall and exited the race. 

Who'd actually win the Cape Town E-Prix? It was actually anyone's game as the laps ticked off, one driver showed he's hand. The hand of DAC... The Porsche driver pulled off a good overtake on the inside of Nick Cassidy at turn nine, and he immediately began to pull a gap to those behind. But, whilst joy turned into elation, Da Costa missed the attack mode sensors (1 of 3) and could not reap the benefit of the additional power. 

With just five laps remaining in the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix, the Porsche driver took the attack mode he missed out on earlier, and dropped behind Jean-Eric Vergne. 

A decision was then taken by the FIA to extend the race by 2 laps, whilst Nick Cassidy faught to defend from an attacking Fenestraz, whose race unfortunately ended in the wall at turn seven.

Could Antonio Felix Da Costa actually pull-off another ballsy move to win in Cape Town? He soon showed the world what he was made of, as he used an alternate line at turn 7 forcing Vergne to back off. But, with a lap to go, JEV was not backing down. Ultimately, seeing the return of the DAC - claiming victory by 0.281 seconds. 

Speaking at the post-race press conference, Da Costa said: "Winning is great, but we go through some tough moments [in our careers]. It hasn’t been an easy first few months of the year for me. So, this win has a special place [in my heart]."

The 31-year-old admits that his defensive driving on the final lap might have been over the limit. 

"On the final lap, I think I was over the limit defending from Jean-Eric Vergne, but it was a fun race," he said.

He admits that the ballsy overtakes at turn 7 and 8 were great, but he had a lot of trust in the drivers behind. 

"Two or three of the overtakes that I managed to pull off through turn 7 and 8 were great, but I knew that I had the right guys behind me to co-operate through these overtakes. At the time, I was up on energy and I could afford to pull off these overtakes," he said. 

"Having started eleventh, as you know our car is very efficient through the start of the season. So, I know that we can go forwards, but it’s not an easy track to overtake on, but the race played out perfect for us with the second safety car forcing everyone to save a little bit of energy. So, that helped me. In the first 40% of the race, I tried to save energy and the race then came to us."

Fenestraz claims first career pole position, whilst all-Mahindra powered cars have been withdrawn on safety grounds.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

Nissan Formula E Team's Sacha Fenetraz claimed pole position for the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix on Saturday afternoon. 

The 23-year-old Frenchman calmly made he's way through the qualifying stages beating everyone along the way. A question arose when Max Guenther set a much faster lap then his rival, but in the flat-out duel between the two for pole position, it was not to be for the Maserati driver who missed out by just 0.422 seconds. 

ENJOY THE QUALIFYING RECAP BELOW:

GROUP A

An almighty lap from Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz sees him top the group session by just 0.013s ahead of Nick Cassidy, Pascal Wehrlein and then Jean-Eric Vergne, who will progress to the duels, whilst Dan Ticktum, Norman Nato, Antonio Felix Da Costa, Jake Hughes, Andre Lotterer, Sergio Sette Camara and Nico Mueller will go no further. The latter is currently under investigation for a qualifying procedure infringement. Whilst NEOM McLaren’s Jake Hughes crashed after loosing the rear under braking and taking a wack on the right rear wheel. He was able to continue, but couldn’t set a fast enough lap to progress.

GROUP B

Rene Rast rises to the top of group B in his NEOM McLaren having set a 1:08.844.The German topped the group by 0.181s ahead of Mitch Evans, Sebastien Buemi, and Max Guenther, who will progress to the duels.

Sam Bird, Jake Dennis, Stoffel Vandoorne, Edoardo Mortara, Lucas Di Grassi, Oliver Rowland and Kelvin van der Linde on the other hand will go no further.

In the closing stages of the session, Mortara lost the rear of his Maserati, and hit the concrete barriers at turn 9. A few seconds later, a Nissan past the stricken Maserti and soon after team-mate Max Guenther, who just about avoided his team-mate.

Bird was quite unlucky. He slammed into the barrier at turn 9, the scene of Mortara’s crash, and with the speed and momentum – the Jaguar rolled into the Maserati.

James Barclay, the Jaguar TCS Racing team principal spoke after the session, and said: “no yellow flags or double waved yellows were shown” when Mortara crashed.

Lucas Di Grassi, Oliver Rowland, Kelvin van der Linde, and Nico Mueller will go no further, after all Mahindra powered cars were withdrawn for safety issues surrounding the rear suspension.

Mahindra published a statement on their media channels, saying: "Mahindra Racing Formula E team have confirmed their withdrawal from the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship qualifying sessions and race in Cape Town due to rear suspension safety concerns. (A thorough investigation on the suspension elements of the Mahindra M9Electro race cars will take place on the team’s return to the UK." 

THE DUELS

The smooth and ever consistent Nick Cassidy pipped championship leader Pascal Wehrlein in their qualifying duel by 0.152 seconds. In the second duel, Fenestraz just about beat Jean-Eric Vergne by 0.053s, whilst Buemi’s streak of bad luck continued, as he broke his front wing on entry to turn 9. The collision meant Mitch Evans just had to cross the line to progress to the semi-finals. Maserati MSG Racing were brought some form of comfort when Max Guenther won the final duel against NEMO McLaren’s Rene Rast by 0.222 seconds.

Buemi admits that everything is still possible despite locking up and removing the endplate from he’s Envision Racing car.

THE SEMIS

In the straight fight between Fenestraz and Nick Cassidy, the Nissan drive came out on top by 0.108s to progress to the finals.

The second and final semi-final, saw Max Guenther and Mitch Evans do battle. Evans had an advantage in the opening gambit, but it was Guenther who went fastest by 0.356 seconds booking Maserati MSG Racing a spot on the front row.

THE ALL IMPORTANT FINAL

Who would come out on top in Cape Town? Well... it was Nissan’s Sacha Fenestraz who claimed he’s ever pole position in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship beating rival Max Guenther by 0.422 seconds. The Frenchman’s lap is the fastest in the championships history, in terms of average speed - 1:07.848.

"Very happy! I'm also very happy for the team. Starting the season working very hard. Hopefully, this is not the last. So, let's keep it up! We are starting on pole. Let's keep it like this," the pole sitter said..

Envision Racing’s Cassidy surges to the top in Free Practice 2 in Cape Town.

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

It's all smiles, as New Zealander Nick Cassidy tops a rather cool Free Practice 2 in Cape Town. The Envision Racing driver posted an unbeatable 1:08.118, which sees him just edge Edoardo Mortara by 0.307s. 

Following right behind in third was Nio333's Dan Ticktum, who looks very calm and relax this morning. He was only 0.026s behind Mortara, whilst the Jaguar TCS Racing drivers were rounded out the top 5. 

As the session progressed there were a number of investigations for "leaving the track" involving: Jean-Eric Verge, Antonio Felix Da Costa, Max Guenther and Mitch Evans. 

Whilst it was elation for some, Brazilian Lucas Di Grassi was struck by yet more back luck. He was running last for the entire session, and attempted one last push lap, but unfortunately, ABT Cupra's van der Linde was in his way. 

The Checkered flag flew on the session, but the drama was far from over, as TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix Da Costa ground to a half with an issue. When caused Da Costa's stoppage on track at the end of the session, the spokesperson for TAG Heuer Porsche Viktoria Wohlrapp said: "He might have brushed the wall, and there are no concerns about technical issues."  

Dear Diary - The Cape Town E-PRIX-RIENCE

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

Dear Diary, this weekend a dream is about to become reality... Me, myself and I, will be walking through the gates at the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix, as an accredited FIA Journalist. Whilst the pressure is immense, and the self-belief is non-existent there is something within me that knows "I can do this!"

And, so the journey to the Cape Town E-Prix begins (Day One). Please enjoy my recount of events!

Formula E is a green/climate friendly championship, and thus trying to keep in the spirit of green, I electively opted to travel to Cape Town/Green Point via public transport (the train and/or taxi), thereafter, I began the long walk to frEEdom… strolling past the Garden Court Hotel in Green Point, and seeing two grey Maserati's outside. Could this actually for the Maserati MSG Racing crew? Maybe, just maybe, it could be them, but little to my surprise a lady to my right shouted "Hellloooo guys!", and I instantly looked to the left, and their shofars acknowledged them. But, only minutes later after walking a considerable distance from them, did I realize, those two guys walking in the middle of a group were in fact; Maximilian Günther and Edoardo Mortara. Is this real? Or a prank.... I've just seen two drivers, and some of the team personnel. This is actually real! I continued the walk and finally arrived at the circuit entrance shortly after 9am. 

It took an estimated 5 minutes to obtain my FIA accreditation lanyard/tag, and so it begun. The day, I became an official FIA Formula E journalist. It might seem strange to a few of you reading this entry, but it's something worth noting and silently celebrating.

Not knowing where to go exactly, I navigated my way around the massive paddock using the bill boards, and strangely... Yes! I got lost! Looking left and right, left and right trying to absorb the ambiance. Little to my knowledge that on my left, the FIA marshals were conducting a dumbie extraction test, removing someone from a Gen3 spec car. 

Having seen the complexity of the extrication process. I then wondered into the pitlane where I saw the TAG Porsche Formula E car freshly out of the FIA scrutineering office/garage, and the geek in me instantly started having a look at the aerodynamic package. I was quite stunned by how tiny the Generation 3 cars are. As they say, the television makes things look a lot bigger. 

Retracing my steps, I stumbled into Mitch Evans, Sam Bird, Edoardo Mortara, Max Gunther to name a few… thereafter making my way to the media center to begin something that I’ve been dreaming of for years. 

Upon arrival, I set up and then the joy began! I returned to the pitlane to capture as many photo’s as possible whilst teams prepares their cars for the shakedown session.

INTO THE DEEP END - PRESSER TIME!

The press conferences soon arrived. James Rossiter (Maserati MSG Racing), Alex Hui (NIO333), and James Barclay (Jaguar TCS Racing) were present at the Team Principals press conference, closely followed by Jean-Eric Vergne, Kelvin van der Linde and Sasha Fenestraz.

As soon as the press conferences concluded, all the drivers' assembled in front of the media pen. Will I get my opportunity to actually speak to these legends of motorsport? I actually did… I had the opportunity to chat to none other than Antonio Felix Da Costa. 

Da Costa was calm and so pleasant to speak to. I then lined up to chat to Jean-Eric Vergne to ask him about the slipstream affect, which became a talking prior to the event. The second question, I asked, was: Could you compare the speed of the Cape Town E-Prix circuit to the Monza, to which JEV replied: “It would be unfair because there is only one Monza.”

Having completed the interviews, I then walked back to the media centre to begin the joyous exercise of typing and publishing a few stories, before leaving to watch the shakedown sessions. 

Speaking for myself, it was quite exhilarating hearing the cars blasting past you, whilst struggling for grip and traction. 

Thinking that the wind had made it a bit more challenging for the drivers, I popped over to ask Jaguar TCS Racing if there drivers had any concerns about the wind after the shakedown, but unfortunately, they acknowledged me then wondered off to cater to other television media. But thankfully, ABT Cupra’s Mark Schneider came to my rescue informing me that their drivers had no concerns about the wind.

Back to the media centre, I shall go! There... I quickly updated an article, and then had a bite to eat. That all said and done, it was time for practice, and unfortunately, Envision Virgin Racing's Sebastien Buemi crashed, Kelvin van der Linde damaged a rim resulting in him stopping on track and Lucas Di Grassi suffered suspension failure. 

In a race against time, and social media. I quickly put a story together, then packed up and wondered off to the pitlane for one last time. Quickly noticing the damaged parts in the back of the Envision Virgin garage. I walked to the pitlane captured as many snaps as possible then walked back to capture the damaged parts before beginning the next journey….

The LONG GREEN JOURNEY HOME... Public transport. Not the best in South Africa, but to make it the best.. you need to support it in a way. It took an estimated 30 minutes to walk from the Cape Town E-Prix circuit to the train station where I just about caught a train home. A 15-hour day on the road has concluded. 

DAY 2 - THE BUSINESS END OF THE RACE WEEKEND

The early bird often catches the worm, or so they say… Rise and shine! It’s 4am, let’s get this day started! To continue in the green venture. This time around, I opted for the Cape Town street racers (Taxi’s). Well! That could be a bit unfair to them, but appropriate in the same breathe. Once aboard, a friendly guy, named Austin asked for direction to Green Point Traffic Department, the location of their event security meet up. Having explained everything about Formula E, Formula 1, and why I don’t watch one ball sport. We parted ways and the journey to the track began.

Arriving at the main entrance to start race day. First up on the agenda was to visit the Envision Racing garage to inspect the work done on Sebastien Buemi’s car after the heavy crash in Free Practice 1, but all seemed calm and collected. The car had all four corners lined up, and everything seemed ready for more lappage. 

Would I be the first to the media centre at 6:45am though? Nope, it was an elderly journalist reviewing footage from the previous day. And, whilst being the second journalist in the media centre, the exploring journey began. And, I opted to take a walk to the E-Fest Electric. Why? Because there was an official launch for Formula Student Africa, a series that I am quite excited by. Why? Because I participated in South Africa’s first-ever entry to Formula Student in 2012. 

With the day planned and an idea of what I am aiming to achieve… let’s just hope my body can hang on with just a few hours sleep. 

Free Practice 2 and Qualifying first on the e-lectrifying agenda… I thought why not take a stroll and watch the opening seconds of Free Practice 2 before running to the media centre to cover the session. Feeling as if I’d been hit by a bus, I ran like I’d just been powered by a Formula E battery, and made it with just a few minutes gone in the session. 

After the final practice session, I once again took a stroll to the paddock and pitlane to see what I could pick up and inquire about. 

Thereafter, I made my way back to the media centre, but upon arrival, the lovely Elza Smit from Maserati South Africa got in touch regarding an interview with Giovanni Sgro, the head of Maserati Corse. With five minutes to qualifying, how on earth would I make it in time? Well! I don't know to be honest as I ran... We successfully conducted the interview (which is soon to be published). 

Sprinting back to the media centre was the next task at hand because the qualifying session was just minutes away. And, what an interesting qualifying it was. For some, reason I expected an Avalanche Andretti pole position, but never write-off the quick young guys. Hats off to Sacha Fenestraz, who claimed he’s maiden pole position in Formula E in Cape Town. 

With a few hours between qualifying and the race, and the lack of water and/or juice in the media centre. I went on the hunt for some water or fizzy drinks, but to my disappointment the lines were longer then a Black Friday queue. And, so I returned to the media centre to sit back… Is there water? Isn’t there water? Thank god there was some cold water for a cup.

Whilst sitting back waiting for the race, I partially wrote this diary entry before planning out the rest of the afternoon. And, with the media centre situated inside the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium in Cape Town. With just a few steps you can stand and watch the grid, and the final corner(s). After watching a couple of seconds, I immediately ran to the media centre in order to watch the proceedings. 

PHOTO CREDIT: ABB FIA Formula E World Championship

What a race it was… Congratulations to TAG Heuer Porsche’s Antonio Felix Da Costa! Such a funny and friendly character in the paddock. I saw him this morning, and said: “Goodluck, you can win this!” To which he replied: “I will try!” Guess what? He won! 

Immediately after the race, the FIA held a top three drivers’ press conference, but with no possibilities to ask questions, we left the conference, and there they were 17 drivers ready to answer the media's questions. Have a question? Ask the media representative of the team, and if given the green light, do go ahead. 

As you might have expected, I asked a couple of questions… but most of all enjoyed the experience!

At this point reality begins to sink it.... The Cape Town E-Prix was officially over! But it isn't over just yet for the media present. Many photographers were editing and sending off their photographs. Videographers were editing and preparing their videos, and journalists were wrapping up their stories. 

It was 19:23pm, and it was time to call it a day.... and take the long walk to the station, which meant I'd continue my green experience. I once again resorting to the minibus taxi.

So, would I ever apply to any other Formula E race(s) abroad? Hell yes! Buuuuttt… it is so easy to say “yes”, but money is required, and tons of it (due to exchange rates). So, maybe one day, I can live that dream, but as for now, the Cape Town E-Prix was an event that opened my eyes to the possibilities. 

THANK YOU FIA, FORMULA E, E-MOVEMENT AND MASERATI SA!!! 

- The End -