Mahindra Racing, which is placed third in the FIA Formula E Championship, is targeting a strong result at the second Mexico City ePrix to be held on April 1.
29 Mar 2017 | 7892 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Mahindra Racing, which is currently placed third in the 2017 Formula E Teams’ Championship standings, is targeting a strong result at the second Mexio City ePrix, which is the fourth round of the 2016-17 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mahindra Racing secured two top-ten finishes in the inaugural Mexico City ePrix ...
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Mahindra Racing, which is currently placed third in the 2017 Formula E Teams’ Championship standings, is targeting a strong result at the second Mexio City ePrix, which is the fourth round of the 2016-17 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mahindra Racing secured two top-ten finishes in the inaugural Mexico City ePrix last year and is looking to build on that experience to leverage its strong start to Season Three, after two podiums and two fastest lap awards in the first three races.
Though the Buenos Aires ePrix may not have yielded results that fully represent the pace and performance of the M3Electro, the team was still able to set the fastest lap and now lies third in the Teams’ Championship rankings.
The Mexico City ePrix will be a tough physical challenge for the drivers. Many sections of the track will be tackled flat out through long curves, putting a great amount of stress on the drivers’ upper bodies as they continue to turn at high speeds. The circuit will once again feature the iconic sequence through the Foro Sol baseball stadium, though some changes to the track layout have been introduced for 2017. Barriers have been put in place to deter drivers from cutting chicanes and turn one has been modified and its chicane removed.
Though temperatures will be similar to those in the Buenos Aires ePrix, teams will also be faced with an added challenge that comes with the altitude of the circuit. Mexico City sits 2,250 metres above sea level, where the lower air pressure will adversely affect both the cooling systems and downforce of the cars.
Nick Heidfeld will be aiming to add to his podium position from Hong Kong, while Felix Rosenqvist, in only his fourth Formula E race, will be chasing a hat-trick of fastest laps after claiming honours in both Hong Kong and Buenos Aires.
According to Dilbagh Gill, Team Principal, Mahindra Racing Formula E Team, “Mexico City provides us with another chance to put our knowledge from last year to good use and bring home a good result for the team. We’ve understood what happened in Buenos Aires and will be applying that learning to ensure we maximise our results in Mexico. The M3Electro has shown its pace at every race this season but since the last race we have been looking to the future; testing our season four challenger in Spain and announcing our continued relationship with Formula E for seasons five through seven.”
In the break between Buenos Aires and Mexico City, Mahindra Racing completed a successful first test of its season four challenger. The M4Electro made its debut in the early hours of March 20, 2017 in Spain. Driven by Nick Heidfeld, the car completed 3.06km in its first run alone and covered over two race distances in the course its first day on track.
In it for the long term
Mahindra Racing has been announced as one of nine manufacturers continuing with FIA Formula E until 2021. Mahindra Racing has been involved in the series since its inauguration in 2014 and the news reaffirms the team’s and Mahindra Group’s commitment to sustainability and the international electric racing car series for the future.