Mercedes’ Ian James: “It’s going to be a very exciting championship finale”

Ian James says the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team go into this weekend’s Berlin E-Prix with the target of clinching both the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Drivers’ and Teams’ titles.

Nyck de Vries heads to the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit with a six-point advantage in the Drivers’ Championship over Robin Frijns, while Mercedes are just seven points behind Envision Virgin Racing in the Teams’ battle.  Stoffel Vandoorne also retains a mathematical chance of taking the Drivers’ crown despite sitting thirteenth in the standings.

James, the Team Principal at Mercedes, says everyone will be doing their hardest this weekend to take both titles, but in such a close championship – eighteen drivers are mathematically in with a chance of taking the Drivers’ title with two races remaining – he knows it will not be plain sailing for the team.

“Just one race weekend to go, and the championship fight is still very much in full swing,” said James.  “This season has already been an extremely close fight in both the teams’ and drivers’ championships, and we’ve managed to carry that into the last race of the season.

“It’s going to be a very exciting championship finale, with virtually any outcome possible in the championships.”

James said the performance put in by Mercedes in the recent London E-Prix showed just what the team were capable of, and it is important that the momentum from London is maintained heading into Berlin.

“During the past race weekend, in London, we showed what we are capable of as a team,” he said.  “We returned to our true form, achieving the results we needed to get back in the fight.

“We will be carrying that momentum into the weekend in Berlin, building on the valuable experience we gathered during last year’s event. In Formula E, however, you always know to expect fresh challenges. And Berlin will be no exception.

“Throughout this season we have strived to achieve the required level of operational excellence. Berlin will be a great test for the team as a whole and I, for one, can’t wait to get the racing underway!”