EV Races Against Fastest Animal on Earth
SAUDIA Ad Diriyah
With just 3 days to go until the start of the 2018/19 racing season, FELIPE MASSA, one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, drove deep into the deserts of Saudi Arabia to test his skills against the fastest animal on earth.
It’s not the first time the fully-electric Formula E car has been pitted against a member of the animal kingdom, with reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne running side-by-side with a cheetah on the Western Cape of South Africa last year.
Vergne narrowly edged out the fastest land mammal, but fans asked for a rematch - this time together with a more demanding competitor. Listening to the feedback of fans on social media, it became the turn of the peregrine falcon, which is capable of reaching speeds in excess of 350 km/h (217 mph) when diving through the skies.
[Rachelle Tilsley - Better NZ Trust - 12 Dec 2018]
Massa's professional motorsport career dates back to 1998, with 269 Grand Prix starts and 11 Formula One wins to his name. The Brazilian is new to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, Mass announced he was joining Venturi in May 2018, ahead of the 2018/19 season.
Brazilian born Filipe Massa, has driven for Sauber, Ferrari and Williams Formula One teams, and has now signed on for three years with the Venturi Formula E team.
Felipe Massa, VENTURI Formula E Team driver, said: “It was an incredible experience for me to race against the fastest member of the animal kingdom - it’s not something I will forget in a hurry. I like the fact that this idea came from the fans, and Formula E listened and accepted the challenge. The footage from the drive is very special and it was a privilege to take part. I’m looking forward to returning to Ad Diriyah and to start racing. It’ll be my first race in Formula E and I’m eager to get behind the wheel again. I’ve missed racing and this series has shown to be one of the most competitive out there.”
Falconer Abdulrahman Said Al Qahtani
2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship.
The fifth edition of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship will see 11 teams and 22 drivers tackle a variety of challenging circuits in 12 cities - across five continents - in a bid to be crowned champion.
This will be the competitive debut of both the Gen2 car and VENTURI Formula E Team driver Felipe Massa.
The Formula E season-opener will be in the Middle East (SAUDIA Ad Diriyah E-Prix) on December 15 with the championship once again coming to a close in New York City over the course of two days on 13 & 14 July 2019.
The concept of Formula E is to act as a platform to test and develop road-relevant technologies, helping refine the design and functionality of components and infrastructure - actively speeding-up the transition and uptake of electric vehicles on a global scale.
Formula E is continuing to attract some of the leading names and renowned brands in motorsport and the automotive industry. For this season, Formula E has nine manufacturers on its roster - including Nissan - taking over the existing entry from Renault - and BMW linking-up with Andretti. This number is set to rise further still, with the highly-anticipated inclusion of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche in season six.
About ABB:ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in power grids, electrification products, industrial automation and robotics and motion, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 147,000 employees.[Rachelle Tilsley - Better NZ Trust - 12 Dec 2018]