Defending World Champion Nyck de Vries hopes the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team can continue to have a strong package this weekend as the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship hits the streets of Rome for the Rome E-Prix double header.
The Dutchman has scored points in all three races of the 2021-22 season to date, including a victory in the opening race of the Diriyah E-Prix, while he scored a sixth-place finish in the Mexico City E-Prix back in February.
De Vries hopes the long gap between Mexico and this weekend’s races in Italy will not harm the Mercedes team too much, and he hopes they can hit the ground running and secure two strong results as he bids to regain his lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
“We’ve had quite a long break since the last round in Mexico, but I’m very pleased to be back racing with the Rome E-Prix,” said de Vries. “I’ve had plenty to do since the last race weekend and have managed to maintain a good rhythm.
“However, since it’s been so long, it’s about time now that we went racing again in order to continue the season. We had a competitive package the last time we were in Rome, and hopefully, we can build on that again this year.
“At any rate, I’m real excited at the thought of going racing again.”
“I have some good memories of the Rome E Prix” – Stoffel Vandoorne
Team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne says the Rome E-Prix circuit is one of his favourites on the Formula E schedule, and he cannot wait to get the season back underway this weekend.
The Belgian finished second in the opening race of the season in Saudi Arabia and seventh in the second, but he missed out on points in Mexico after an up-and-down race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Vandoorne is a past winner of the Rome E-Prix, and he is eyeing up similar success this weekend, providing that the Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 is competitive around the streets of the Italian capital.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back out on the track this weekend,” said Vandoorne. “It’s been a long break since the last race in Mexico, but now the season is going to get properly underway with not just Rome but also with a number of other races over the coming weeks.
“Rome is one of my favourite circuits. I just love driving there. The circuit offers one of the best compromises this season in terms of energy management and has lots of different track surfaces. Driving there feels like a real challenge, and I’m very much looking forward to that.
“I have some good memories of the Rome E Prix. I was on pole for one of the races last year and was able to win one of the two rounds. We’ve got a competitive package once more this year, and I think that we’ll be in a similar position again.”
