Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team’s 2019-20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship challenger enjoyed a successful test at Varano race circuit in Italy on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week.
Mercedes debuted their Formula E racer, driven by HWA Racelab‘s Stoffel Vandoorne and Venturi Formula E Team racer Edoardo Mortara, who stepped in for Gary Paffett, who was in action at the International GT Challenge at Laguna Seca.
The first day of testing was used to shakedown the new car, with the regulations permitting the team to complete a maximum of 50 Km to check out the systems. Then during the course of the three days, the car completed 527 Km in preparation for their Formula E debut in December for the season-opener in Ad Diriyah.
It was a very strong test for Mercedes as they analysed the first version of the power unit and the drive assembly, they will be looking how to improve it in the remaining time they have before the season kicks off in December.
“When a new racing car comes to life for the first time and goes out onto the track, that’s always a very special moment,” said Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Toto Wolff.
“Not only have we reached an important milestone for our as yet young team, but we have also laid a solid foundation for further development. But there is still a lot of work to do before our race debut when the next season starts towards the end of this year.”
Head of Mercedes-Benz Formula E project is Ian James, who was very proud about how the first three days of initial testing went in Varano, but knows that there is still a long way to go. Therefore, he said:
“The first days of testing at Varano were a very important step in the development of our team. We brought together experts from our different sites at Affalterbach, Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart, and at the end of a successful three days, they left as members of a team – it was the birth of the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team. In the coming weeks and months, many more milestones will follow on the way to our first race.”
With Mortara and Vandoorne completing the initial tests for Mercedes, this could give us an indication as to how Mercedes are feeling regarding their driver line-up for their maiden campaign in the ferocious all-electric single-seater racing series.