Formula E: latest news and miscellaneous info from Paris
- Lucas di Grassi becomes an ambassador of the United Nations
- Audi e-tron quattro concept at Audi City Paris
The French E-Prix began with an evening at Audi City in Paris and an appointment of Lucas di Grassi as a UN ambassador.
Important mission for Lucas di Grassi: The Audi factory driver was appointed as a worldwide Clean Air Ambassador of the United Nations (UN). The reigning champion of the electric racing series has been actively committed to the transformation of mobility for years. “This appointment is a great honor for me,” says Lucas di Grassi. “Electric mobility plays a major role in my profession as a race driver as well as in my personal life. I am delighted that now I have the opportunity to contribute my ideas to working with the UN as well.”
Daniel Abt, Lucas di Grassi, Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass and Team Principal Allan McNish on Thursday night were guests at Audi City Paris which is fully focused on Formula E and electric mobility this weekend. Displayed at the show room on Place du Marché Saint-Honoré are the Audi e-tron quattro concept and the Audi e-tron FE04. The Formula E race will be shown live on big screens on Saturday starting at 4 PM.
The Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo is deployed to Formula E as a race taxi for the second time this weekend. At the E-Prix in Paris, longstanding Audi factory driver and three-time Le Mans winner Dindo Capello is again chauffeuring guests of AUDI AG around the city street circuit in the 600-kW (815-hp) electric race car concept. In Berlin, ex-DTM driver Rahel Frey will assume these driving duties.
Interest in Formula E has increased by leaps and bounds this season. All seats in the grandstands for the remaining races in Paris, Berlin, Zurich and New York are already sold out. Normal tickets are hardly available anymore either. For the Formula E race in Zurich on June 10, all tickets were sold within the space of only 30 minutes. Tickets to the Emotion Club are no longer available either.
Jo Hausner who as chief race engineer was involved in several Audi victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is experiencing his first race in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Paris. Hausner supports Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass when dates clash between Formula E and the DTM.
Markus Michelberger, title defender Lucas di Grassi’s race engineer in Formula E, will celebrate a brief DTM comeback next weekend, supporting Mattias Ekström’s Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM in his farewell races at Hockenheim.