Following from the disappointment of Mahindra Formula E driver Felix Rosenqvist retiring from the lead of the 2018 Rome ePrix, the team have been working flat-out to ensure the M4Electro is ready to take on the demands of the 2018 Qatar Airways Paris ePrix this weekend.
Having had reasonable success in their past two visits to Paris, Mahindra will be looking for a welcome return to the top step of the podium after experiencing a rough patch of results in recent rounds.
With the track being narrow, and the second shortest venue on the calendar (at just 1.9 km), qualifying around the Circuit des Invalides will be crucial to having a good race result.
And after Felix Rosenqvist smashed qualifying in Rome, with a time almost seven tenths of a second quicker than the rest of the pack, the Swede is feeling confident ahead of this weekend’s race: “It looks like a pretty straightforward weekend, with not many options right now. We need a clean race and we’re hungry for a win because we’ve always got the capability to be in the front.”
Qualifying is key as is track position because even if you’ve got more energy it’s hard to use as overtaking is tough here. Our preparation is good and we just have to go for it.”
Nick Heidfeld has endured a miserable run of races as of late, having not scored a point since his seventh place finish in the third race at Marrakesh back in January
But with the German standing on the podium twelve months ago, he is hopeful of better fortunes this time around: “To me Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. It is amazing to race here and I hope to add to my podium and fastest lap I collected here in my previous Formula E races.”
This circuit is a proper, short, bumpy street circuit, and is the shortest track on the calendar bar Hong Kong. Thus meaning that the speed of the track in Paris is lower than the average circuit in ABB FIA Formula E, which will make being able to deal with the bumps crucial to being successful this weekend.
Team Principle and CEO of Mahindra Formula E team, Dilbagh Gill is confident that the team will see their fortunes change in Paris, saying:“I am looking forward to racing in one of the most beautiful venues on the Formula E calendar. All of us are hoping to add some Mahindra red to the top step of the podium and the team is confident that our issues in Rome are behind us and we can deliver a strong performance this weekend.”
