Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua will drive for Team Aguri for the rest of the 2015/16 FIA Formula E Championship as a replacement for Salvador Duran.
Qing Hua currently races in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and became the first Chinese driver to win an FIA race event in 2014. He previously drove in Formula 1, acting as test driver for HRT and then Caterham.
Ma Qing Hua, who will race with number 77, commented, “Joining Team Aguri is a great opportunity for me and I am very excited to be racing in Formula E, as the series has attracted some of the best drivers from around the world.”
“I’m looking forward to racing in a single seater series again and to managing the unique demands of a Formula E car, which is renowned for its handling and energy management demands.”
Qing Hua is the third driver to occupy the second Aguri car this season. Frenchman Nathanaël Berthon drove for the first three races, before being replaced by Duran for Buenos Aires, Mexico and Long Beach.
However the Mexican had struggled to match the pace of his team mate, Antonio Felix da Costa, failing to get near him in qualifying and finishing comfortably out of the points in each race.
Duran still harbours hopes to compete in the series again, tweeting shortly after the announcement:
Team Principal of Team Aguri, Mark Preston said, “We’d like to thank Salvador for his commitment to the team and his hard work in developing the car. We wish him the very best in his future career.”
“Ma has shown his prowess in tin tops and we are excited to give him the opportunity to return to single seater racing as we drive the team forward.”
