Mercedes-Benz partners Venturi Racing for Formula E Season 6

Mercedes-Benz has announced a technology supply agreement with Venturi Racing for Season 6 of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, which will see the season opener in late November at Diriyah.

In Season 6, Venturi Racing will run two examples of the new Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow 01, alongside the cars fielded by the works Mercedes team, in order to accelerate the manufacturer’s learning curve in its debut Formula E season.

The technology supply will comprise the cooling system, rear frame, rear suspension, dampers, software, onboard electronics and wiring, as well as the brand-new powertrain (including inverter, motor, rear-axle components and energy management software) designed and developed at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), the Daimler group’s global centre of excellence for high-performance hybrid technology.

“We are delighted to welcome Venturi Racing to the Mercedes family ahead of our first Formula E season,” said Ian James, Team Principal of the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team. “At Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, we have accumulated a huge amount of knowledge in the field of high-performance electrified power units over the past few years, which will not only benefit our new Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team but also Venturi Racing. Running four cars on track in our debut season will accelerate our progress towards the ultimate goal of fighting for race wins.”

“This development marks a significant step forward for the team and, with my longstanding relationship with Mercedes-Benz, I feel very confident that we will enjoy a strong working partnership with our new powertrain suppliers,” added Susie Wolff, Venturi Racing Team Principal. “We made good progress in season 5 but our plans for season 6 are even more ambitious and we are doing everything within our power to make sure that we are as competitive as possible before we head to Saudi for the season opener.”

“We are taking the expertise we’ve built up over the last decade and applying it to the new challenge of Formula E,” said Andy Cowell, Managing Director of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains. “Working together with Venturi Racing, we will be able to increase our rate of learning in our debut season, and what’s more, with a well-established team, who have been part of the series since the very first year. The lessons learned and the technologies we are working on at the race track will also be incorporated into the development of road-going vehicles over time, so the entire Mercedes-Benz family will benefit as a result.”

“We are proud to welcome Mercedes-Benz to the Venturi family as our powertrain partner for Season 6”, added Gildo Pastor, President, Venturi Automobiles. “Pairing our experience in high-performing electric vehicles with the racing pedigree of Mercedes is a significant step towards strengthening our position in a racing formula that is becoming ever-more-competitive. We’re all excited about this new era for the team and I’m confident this will be the start of a great journey with our new colleagues in Stuttgart and Brixworth.”

Official testing for all teams at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia is next on the timetable of events (15-18 October) leading up to the debut of the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team. The new season will start on the weekend of 22/23 November with the first two rounds at Diriyah.