Last weekend in Diriyah was a bit of a mixed bag for the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team. Whilst the first race went fantastically with the team netting a 1-2 finish (the race being won by Nyck De Vries), the second race didn’t quite go so well and it was Mercedes customer team ROKiT Venturi Racing that ended up getting a big victory instead. That hasn’t dulled the team’s ambition and enthusiasm, though. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is usually a good track for Mercedes and, if everything goes well, the team is hoping that another great result will happen!
“Diriyah was a good weekend for the team,” said Team Principal Ian James. “It might surprise some people that I am not calling it a great weekend. Yes, we did take two Pole Positions and a 1-2 win in the first race, but we found ourselves slightly on the back foot later on in the weekend.” That’s not something that seems to have disheartened the him and the Mercedes team, though. “Since then, we’ve been working hard on understanding why we failed to realise our potential in Race 2 and how we improve going forward,” he continued.
“Now, less than two weeks later, we are already on our way to the next race weekend of the season: the Mexico City E-Prix awaits us. Mexico is always a fantastic place to visit. There is excitement in the air and the fans are extremely passionate about racing. Having fans return to the track for this weekend will, undoubtedly, be one of the highlights.“
“In Mexico, we are planning on realising the pace we know we can achieve with our team and our car package. Our powertrain has proven to be a strong contender at track, but above all: our people have shown time and time again that they are up for a challenge. That prospect makes me excited for the race weekend to come!“
“All in all, we had a good start to the season in Diriyah, although we left Saudi Arabia with mixed feelings,” said Stoffel Vandoorne. “After having had a very successful first race, our results perhaps didn’t quite match expectations on the second day. We just couldn’t extract the maximum out of that second race, but it shows that we have to stay humble and continue to work hard on all the details if we want to compete consistently at the highest level. At the same time, it shows just how intense competition in the series actually is.“
“I’m really looking forward to heading to Mexico again,” he continued. “It’s one of the most amazing races of the year, especially where the fans are concerned – they are extremely passionate about our sport. Driving through the stadium in front of all the spectators will feel incredible. The circuit is very energy sensitive, and we’ve done relatively well there in the past although that may not always have been apparent from the results. We still have untapped potential in Mexico and I hope that we can realise it this year. We will continue to work hard towards achieving that goal in the days ahead.“
“I’m really looking forward to the second race weekend of the season in Mexico after the season-opener in Diriyah,” said Nyck De Vries. “We’ve had a most encouraging start to the season but are very aware of the challenges that still lie ahead of us. We know how competitive our rivals are, so we have to bring our A game in order to remain major contenders. Everyone is bunched very close together, but we feel confident about the event in Mexico and are fully focused on preparations as usual right now.“
“Mexico City is an amazing place,” De Vries continued, echoing the sentiments amongst his fellow drivers and Mercedes colleagues. “The fans are super enthusiastic and the stadium section on the final sector is terrific. It’s just a tremendous venue for an E-Prix. Hopefully, we can have another great weekend there.“
