This coming weekend, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship will be in the Principality of Monaco (MON) for the ninth race of the season. António Félix da Costa is the best ranked BMW driver at the moment, sitting third on the overall podium with 70 points, just 11 points behind the leader, Robert Frijsn. In the team rankings, BMW i Andretti Motorsport is now fifth. Season 5 sees 22 Gen2 cars racing around the track in anger for the very first time. The Batmobile-esque all-electric racer has double the energy storage capacity of the Gen1 car, meaning it can complete a whole race, so wave goodbye to mid-race car swaps. With 250kW of power, the Gen2 will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 2.8-seconds and go on to a top speed of 280km/h.
Roger Griffiths (Team Principal BMW i Andretti Motorsport):
“After the low grip, bumpy streets of Paris, the Monaco track will be a stark contrast. Much smoother, more grip, yet tight and challenging. Overtaking is tough here; good grid positioning will be key to having a strong race. Lap times will be short, and it will definitely be interesting to see how much the FE car has improved since the last visit two years ago. With the quick turn around between the European races this places a premium on efficient preparation and forward planning.”
Alexander Sims (#27 BMW iFE.18):
“I am really curious about what it will be like to drive on the streets of Monaco for the first time. Of course, I have seen loads of races there on TV and I do feel more familiar with the location than I did ahead of some other races. I hope that I can get myself and my car set up quickly for the circuit, and I really hope to do well in qualifying. That is the key to finally driving a smooth race again.”
António Félix da Costa (#28 BMW iFE.18):
“It is exciting to be coming to Monaco to drive in a location with such a great history of racing. Formula E is a new type of racing and is adding a new chapter to the history of Monaco. I am looking forward to putting on a good show for the spectators. I hope that the layout and the surface will suit the BMW iFE.18.”
| TRACK FACTS MONACO. | |
| Circuit length | 1.765 km, shortest track of the season. Clockwise. |
| Corners | 5 left and 7 right handers. Slowest corner: T3 (approx. 40 km/h). Fastest corner: T7 (approx. 160 km/h). Many different types of corners – not typical for Formula E. |
| Track surface | Very even, as it’s 90 percent identical to the F1 track. |
| Grip level | Higher than in Paris and Rome, although leaves may make the track slippery and be a disadvantage for qualifying group 1. |
| Circuit layout | Relatively high average speed. Very short straights make overtaking very difficult. |
| Tyre wear | More tyre wear on the right side despite racing clockwise. |
| Attack Zone | ATTACK MODE is activated on a straight. This means there will be hardly any time loss. |
| Pit lane | Identical to the F1 pitlane. |
| Risk of crashes | Very high. |
| Key factors | Grip, car balance, qualifying performance / grid positions. |
