BMW i and MS Amlin Andretti ready to begin global tour in Hong Kong.

Munich (DE), 6th October 2016. The 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship season begins in Hong Kong (CN) on 9th October. BMW works driver António Félix da Costa (PT) and Robin Frijns (NL) will drive the two MS Amlin Andretti ATEC-002 machines in the Hong Kong ePrix. We bring you some useful information ahead of the much-anticipated season opener.
 
The Challenge
BMW’s commitment to the FIA Formula E Championship, through its partnership with the MS Amlin Andretti team, will take its first steps in competitive racing on Hong Kong’s streets. Félix da Costa and Frijns will be hoping to begin the season strongly, but will face a tough challenge. MS Amlin Andretti will debut its brand new powertrain, and thus the Hong Kong ePrix represents a step into the unknown for the technology. Further unknowns, in the shape of a brand new track layout and an ultra-competitive, but still enigmatic, field will only increase the difficulties of this debut.
 
Increased manufacturer involvement across the series and a field of talented drivers mean that Season 3 of the world’s only all-electric motor racing series is its most competitive yet. The team must perform to its absolute maximum to achieve good results on its Asian adventure.
 
The Team
MS Amlin Andretti will race the ATEC-002 in Season 3, with Félix da Costa and Frijns in its two entries – Frijns in number 27 and Felix da Costa in number 28. BMW will provide expertise and support to the American team as it runs its own powertrain for the first time, having run the standard Formula E technology in the first two seasons. This will be the first ever race for the fledgling manufacturer-team partnership.
 
Fans can vote to give their favourite driver a ‘FanBoost’ – an extra energy allocation, available in the second half of the race – online. The three drivers with the most votes receive an extra 100KJ of energy, which can boost power by up to 30KW. There are two methods: voting on fanboost.fiaformulae.com, or by using the hashtag #FanBoost, plus #AntonioFelixdaCosta or #RobinFrijns, on Twitter or Instagram.
 
The Expectations
Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director: “We are really looking forward to the first race of the 2016/17 season of the FIA Formula E Championship. As part of our partnership with Andretti Formula E, we will be represented by numerous engineers in Hong Kong. We are ready to start our Formula E mission: gain experience and pave the way for success in collaboration with the team of MS Amlin Andretti. The narrow track in the middle of Hong Kong provides an impressive backdrop for this.”
 
António Félix da Costa, MS Amlin Andretti: “It feels like it’s been a very long time since the end of the last Formula E season, so I’m really excited to get Season 3 underway. I’ve been involved in Formula E since the beginning, and I can say without hesitation that this is the most competitive season yet. The manufacturer input, the spectacle, the organisation of the series, it’s massive. Obviously I’m thrilled to see BMW joining the series with Andretti – I’ve been working with BMW for a while and I know how hard they push, and how seriously they will take this venture. It’s fantastic news. That said, it’s going to be a tricky race. Everyone is working flat out. As for the track, it’s going to be good for racing – there are plenty of overtaking opportunities, and energy management will be tough, which could lead to lots of position changes. I think Season 3 of Formula E is going to start with a great spectacle.”
 
Robin Frijns, MS Amlin Andretti: “I am glad to be back with Andretti Formula E and can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the MS Amlin Andretti car in Hong Kong. We had one podium last year, but that is not enough. We want to do more this season and I don’t think our true potential showed in Season 2. The team has been working hard and it will be good to get on track this weekend and get Season 3 started. Some of the new cities and circuits also look exciting – looking forward to the year.”
 
The City
Hong Kong itself is a fantastic location for Formula E. It is a sovereign state of China, whose capital Beijing (CN) it replaces on the series’ calendar for 2016/17. Famous for its culture and vibrancy, the territory is the fourth most densely populated in the world: Over seven million people live in just 2,755km2 – and less than 25% of that area is developed. Only Macau (CN), Monaco (MC) and Singapore (SG) can claim to be tighter on space.
 
The Circuit
The two-kilometre city circuit, set alongside the world famous harbour, will provide a backdrop of unparalleled urban vistas. In many ways, the track presents similar challenges to all Formula E’s layouts: it is bumpy, and most of the corners are tight, 90° or hairpin bends. Unlike many of the circuits the series will race on, it’s wide, which will likely lead to a lot of side-by-side action. The track’s long straights, like the warm temperatures, could make for difficult energy-management conditions.
 
The BMW i Vehicle Fleet
For Season 3, BMW i remains the “Official Vehicle Partner” for the FIA Formula E Championship. The BMW i8 (fuel consumption combined: 2.1 l/100 km / 134.5 mpg imp; CO2 emissions combined: 49 g/km) will continue as the high-performance, efficient Safety Car in Formula E. The same goes for the BMW i3 (energy consumption combined: 12.9 kWh; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km), which is the “Medical Car” and “Race Director Car” and for the BMW X5 xDrive40e (fuel consumption combined: 3.4–3.3 l/100 km / 83.1–85.6 mpg imp; CO2 emissions combined: 78–77 g/km; figures based on the EU test cycle, may vary depending on the tyre format specified), which functions as the “Rescue Car” or “Extrication Car”.
 
Note to the editors: A photo call will be held at 17:00hrs on Friday in front of the MS Amlin Andretti garage. Among others, BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt and Alejandro Arag, chief executive officer Formula E holdings, will be available for pictures. This will be followed by a press conference.
 
A comprehensive press kit for the FIA Formula E Championship is attached to this press release.