Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler: Never change a winning team

Audi Sport, ABT, Schaeffler – the name of the German team says it all: Ever since entering Formula E in 2014, these three brands have been forming a strong trio in various constellations and, after six seasons, are one of the most successful outfits in the series’ high-caliber international field. 

Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler has been part of the Formula E family from day one. Prior to the seventh season no other team has scored more podium finishes. Consistency within the team is one of the secrets of its success: many of the engineers and mechanics have been on board from the get-go and the partners, Audi Sport, ABT and Schaeffler, work hand in hand.

Since August 2014, the Competence Center Motorsport in Neuburg an der Donau has been the headquarters of Audi’s Motorsport Department. In the modern complex of buildings, Audi engineers also develop the Formula E race cars including the powertrain. This centerpiece, named Audi MGUO5 for the seventh season, has been developed completely by Audi here for the first time. Besides test benches and a race track simulator the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team uses the track in Neuburg for rollouts and functional checks.

Allan McNish is the team principal and thus the face of the squad. The Scotsman was an active race driver for a total of 32 years, having celebrated his biggest successes in the sports prototypes of the Audi brand, including two of his three victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and win of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). In 2015, McNish became the coordinator of all motorsport activities of the Audi Group. In this role, he was instrumental in preparing Audi’s factory-backed commitment in Formula E before being appointed as team principal of the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E team in 2017 when Audi officially entered the championship. He is assisted by Tristan Summerscale as the project manager.

Schaeffler is one of the co-founders of the team and one of the most notable and successful players in Formula E. Since the development of the powertrain was permitted in 2015, Schaeffler has been contributing its know-how to the development of the cars as the team’s technology partner. In this capacity, the company demonstrates its expertise in forward-thinking technologies also in the innovative electric racing series and presents ideas for sustainable mobility for tomorrow. 

Preparation and fielding of the two Audi e-tron FE07 cars are in the proven hands of ABT Sportsline. The family business and the brand with the four rings have known and valued each other for many decades. With Audi as a strong partner, ABT pursues the maxim of being better than the competition – both on the road and on the race track. From 2014 to 2017, ABT was active in Formula E as a privateer team, celebrated the drivers’ title with Lucas di Grassi in 2017 and subsequently handed its slot on the grid over to Audi. As Director of Operations, Florian Modlinger is responsible for the Formula E project at ABT.