So with the grid almost finally full of those teams that are set to be part of a new dawn in the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship come late 2014, Virgin Racing makes its return to racing competitively after its first foray into Formula One as per Super Aguri, becoming the penultimate entry that will be put forward to the FIA.
The fact that both Team Principal Alex Tai, who was involved in the F1 team, along with the backing of Virgin’s founder Sir Richard Branson, have been involved in making revolutionary steps towards getting forward-thinking technology in many different forms of transport over the past few years, which bodes well for this unique series.
Branson himself has backed this new UK-based team, as well as stating his thoughts on how exciting the series will be, especially with the future benefits that Formula E will bring to the masses: “The need to create fast, dependable and durable race cars will help to accelerate the sector and showcase electric cars to a large global audience. With races around many famous city centres, I am expecting a lot of spectators, plenty of fun and some sparks flying as the competition hots up.”
Tai stated that he was “absolutely sold on the concept of Formula E and believe that it is a great fit for the Virgin brand,” with the fact of just how accessible the series will be in the city centres that it will visit during the 10-race calendar. “The drive to develop new technology appeals to Virgin, which has always been a pioneering organisation. I’ve been fortunate to have been involved in a number of such activities over years, from the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer to Virgin Galactic activities that push technological and human boundaries and capture people’s imagination.”
He also was keen to say that over the next few months, that all fans that are looking to see what the Virgin Racing Formula E Team will bring to the party, have been advised to “watch this space.”
Formula E Holdings’ CEO, Alejandro Agag, was on hand to welcome the new team, with one still waiting in the wings to make up the final line up for the inaugural championship: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Racing Team to Formula E and for them to have chosen the FIA’s new global electric race series to make their return to top-flight motor sport. Having a global brand like Virgin, renowned for their technological innovation and sporting passion, as one of our ten teams is a fantastic addition to the championship and shows their commitment to sustainable mobility.”
So with nine down, there is just one more to go before the line-up is complete, as a wide variation of teams are helping to make people take notice, with the future looking a bit brighter for Formula E…
