DTM driver Nico Müller will race alongside Brendon Hartley at GEOX Dragon next year, after being announced as their second driver.
The Swiss racer is currently second in the DTM standings behind Rene Rast, although he has experience in Formula E through the test and reserve driver role he has held with Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler for the past two years.
Speaking after the announcement Müller said he was looking forward to the challenge of driving in Formula E, although said that he knew that he was going to find it tough being a rookie.
“I love street racing, and I am looking forward to lining up against the best guys out there,” Müller said. “Formula E is particularly challenging, especially for a rookie, but I think we have an extremely exciting year ahead of us.
“We are looking forward to competing with these major OEMs, and I am pumped to be able to put pressure on the big teams right from the start in Riyadh.”
He also said that he was aware of the challenge that Dragon faced as an independent team, especially given the host of major manufacturers who have entered the series in recent months.
He commented, “We have a big challenge ahead of us. We are an independent manufacturer, and the level of competition in Formula E is the highest in Motorsport, but I have a lot of confidence in the Team.
“We have a compact structure, and everyone has a full grasp on the project, so together we will be able to move quickly and optimize the Penske Autosport package.”
The decision to hire Müller means that Dragon will not retain any of the three drivers who raced for them last season, with Maximillian Gunther moving to BMW, and Jose Maria Lopez and Felipe Nasr being ditched.
Brendon Hartley will fill the other seat, and team owner Jay Penske said that he believed Dragon now had all the pieces in place to compete with the best.
“I am very excited to have Nico behind the wheel of the #7 Penske EV-4 this season,” said Penske.
“Nico is a fierce competitor, and with him, we have the pieces in place to compete with the major OEM’s in this landmark Formula E season. I look forward to very solid results in the upcoming season.”
