Mercedes EQ Formula E team drivers Nyck De Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne will be competing in this weekend’s Monaco E-Prix from their “home”, as they are both Monaco residents. They will be aiming to keep their current first and second places at the top of the Driver’s Championship in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship this weekend
Mercedes EQ had a mixed weekend in Valencia, scoring a double podium on Saturday but a DNF for Vandoorne and a 16th place finish for De Vries on Sunday.
Ian James, Mercedes EQ team principal, stated that the Valencia E-Prix was an eventful one for the team: “Any learnings which have been taken away will only strengthen both the championship and its competitors.”
This is the first time the Formula E Championship competes on the full Circuit de Monaco track. The iconic Sainte Devote chapel, Casino Square, Fairmont hairpin and the tunnel will all feature in this year’s E-Prix, to the delight of the drivers and the fans.
“I can’t wait to get in the car on Saturday and drive it through the streets of Monaco” said Nyck de Vries ahead of the weekend.
Stoffel Vandoorne elaborated on his “home race” feelings: “For Nyck and me, it’s a kind of home race because we live in Monaco and spend a lot of time there. It’s nice to be able to sleep in my own bed for once on a race weekend, but at the same time, it’s a strange feeling because you never want to be too relaxed”.
Both Vandoorne and De Vries have previous experience on the Monaco track. Vandoorne was present in the 2019 Monaco E-Prix for the HWA Racelab team, where he finished ninth. He also competed in the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix for the GP2 series (now Formula 2), the feeder series for Formula One. De Vries won the race twice in Formula 2, competing for Rapax and ART Grand Prix in his three participations in the event.
Round seven of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will take place in Monaco on Saturday 8 May 2021, starting with Free Practice One at 8:00 CET (7:00 BST) with the race at 16:00 CET (15:00 BST).
