After just under a month’s break, the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship resumes this weekend, as it returns to the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan in Marrakesh for the third consecutive year.
The spectators will see the all-electric race cars swoosh by with a mixed backdrop of the Atlas mountains, the centuries-old Marrakesh wall and the pitlane. The Marrakesh ePrix will see 45-minutes plus one lap action on the 2.99km long street circuit on Saturday 12 January 2019.
“Marrakesh is one of the ‘traditional’ Formula E races now but it is one of the few tracks that I will need to learn this season as I have not raced on the track before. I look forward to really getting our season underway after a very challenging start in Riyadh”, NIO racer Tom Dillmann shared his view on the forthcoming Marrakesh ePrix.
Oliver Turvey is also a fan of the track in North Africa: “It is fast, flowing, with a number of overtaking opportunities, so I will be aiming for a points scoring result for NIO.”
Reigning champion and DS Techeetah driver Jean-Éric Vergne, who closely missed out on the victory in the first race in Saudi Arabia, has left being “very hungry for more and it’s what my focus is all about right now. “Marrakesh hasn’t been a good track for us in the past so I’m hoping that we can change that and leave Morocco on a high note this year”, he said.
Mahindra Racing’s Pascal Wehrlein will make his first appearance for the team this time out. “I’m looking forward to starting my season and I’m feeling well prepared. I like the track and there are some good opportunities for overtaking; everything in the simulator went well and I think it’s going to be another interesting and unpredictable race”, the German said.
His team-mate Jérôme D’Ambrosio, who finished on the podium on his debut with the team last month in Saudi Arabia, added: “It’s a challenging street circuit and while it hasn’t been the best track for me over the past two years, I’m going to make sure that I change that. I think a second podium is definitely achievable.”
The ePrix will be aired on Saturday, 12th January, 4pm CET.