The Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team will say goodbye to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship after this weekend’s Berlin E-Prix, and Allan McNish is hoping the team go out on a high.
Audi have been a part of Formula E since its inception but will bow out after Sunday’s second race at the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit having taken thirteen wins, the last of which came earlier this season in the Puebla E-Prix for Lucas di Grassi.
Di Grassi has been an ever present at Audi since the 2014-15 season and took their one and only Drivers’ Championship in season three, while the Team won the Teams’ Championship in season four.
McNish, the Team Principal at Audi, says di Grassi and current team-mate René Rast are aiming to end the year with two positive results in Berlin, with both drivers still in contention for the championship.
“We’re coming to Berlin to say goodbye to Formula E and to our fans with our heads held high,” said McNish. “Lucas and René have competed in many races in Berlin and have both been on the podium.
“We as a team have experienced some of the most emotional moments here in recent years. So it’s the perfect place for the final chapter of our Formula E adventure, which we obviously want to end with as many trophies as possible.”
“The series has accompanied our brand in its transformation to electric mobility” – Julius Seebach
Julius Seebach, the Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH and responsible for motorsport, says Formula E has been a great home for Audi, but now it is important to turn their attention to other categories, most notably the Dakar Rally, which will see the all-Electric Audi RS Q e-tron participate in the event in 2022.
“Audi was the first German manufacturer to compete in Formula E,” said Seebach. “In recent years, the series has accompanied our brand in its transformation to electric mobility and provided us with many unforgettable moments that will forever remain a part of our history.
“Today, electric mobility at Audi is no longer a vision of the future but the present. The best example is the Audi RS e-tron GT, our first fully electric high-performance model for the road. This means it’s time for us to take the next step in motorsport as well.
“The Dakar Rally offers us the opportunity to break new ground as a pioneer and to present and further develop our expertise in the field of electric mobility under extreme conditions.”
René Rast sits tenth in the standings heading to Berlin – Credit: Audi Communications Motorsport / Michael Kunkel