Announced earlier this year, BMW plans to get itself involved in what certainly looks like the next step in motorsports, Formula E. More manufacturers are also planning to join the competition in the near future and BMW is already working with the Andretti team this season, to learn as much as it possibly can before introducing its own team in 2018. The season will kick off in Hong Kong with two races.
This weekend, BMW works driver Antonio Felix da Costa will be lining up at the starting line alongside Kamui Kobayashi, both of them racing for team Andretti. The races in Hong Kong represent another important step on the road to Season 5 for BMW and MS&AD Andretti Formula E. The cooperation between the BMW engineers and the team has been further intensified in recent months, and this process will continue over the course of the season.
The Andretti Formula E team is in its fourth season of Formula E in 2017/18. So far, Michael Andretti’s team has contested 33 races, claimed three pole positions, and scored 202 points. BMW works driver António Félix da Costa is again in action at the wheel of the number 28 MS&AD Andretti ATEC-003 in Season 4. Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi will drive the number 27 car at the season-opener in Hong Kong.
Plans are also afoot for BMW works driver Tom Blomqvist to race with the team during Season 4. He was registered on the FIA entry list but only MS&AD Andretti will decide who races in the number 27 car. “I am really looking forward to returning to Hong Kong. I had a good race when Formula E made its debut there last year. Generally speaking, I love the area around Hong Kong. After all, I have enjoyed some big wins in neighboring Macau,” said Antonio Felix da Costa about the upcoming race.
On top of the action, BMW will also continue to offer its BMW i vehicles for technical support, as a partner of Formula E. This includes the Qualcomm BMW i8 Safety Car and the new BMW i3s as the “Medical Car” and “Race Control Car”.
