Formula E Preview

The most electrifying series in motorsport is finally starting, the Formula E Beijing ePrix around the Olympic Village.

The circuit is 3.44km long, making it one of the longer circuits in Formula E, with 20 corners. For the 2014-2015 Formula E season there are ten teams and 20 drivers, many of which have experience at the highest levels of motorsport around the globe.

Amlin Aguri are run by the same people as the old Super Aguri F1 Team, founded by ex F1 driver Aguri Suzuki.

Andretti Formula E are a team with multiple wins and championships in the USA, in the lower categories and all the way up to IndyCar.

Audi Sport ABT are a family run team competing mostly in Europe and Germany, with wins and championships in the top German racing series, DTM.

China Racing aren’t known quite as much as the others, they started out as a competitor in the A1 GP series before entering the final season of Superleague Formula and later the FIA GT1 World Championship.

Dragon Racing are another American IndyCar entrant but are yet to win a race.

e.dams Renault are co-founded by F1 great Alain Prost, the team started back in 1988 and have competed in almost all high level open wheel and sports car series. The DAMS team have won championships in GP2, Formula 3000, A1GP, World Series by Renault and more.

Mahindra Racing are the only Indian team in Formula E and also the only team that competes on two wheels, as they are an entrant in the Moto3 class of MotoGP.

Trulli GP is a team co-founded by ex F1 driver Jarno Trulli, who will also be racing for the team, the team was originally named Drayson Racing but renamed to Trulli GP after Jarno Trulli acquired it.

Venturi are a Monaco based team co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio. Venturi are also a car manufacturer and have built many electric powered production cars.

The final team in Formula E is Virgin Racing, former F1 entrants before Virgin F1 turned into the current Marussia team.

The drivers are all highly talented, with a mix of young talent and experience, with wins coming from GP2, Formula 3, Formula Renault, Auto GP, WEC, IndyCar, Formula One and more, a wide range of skills and experience, which for sure will result in an exciting opening season in Formula E.

12 of the drivers racing in Beijing have raced a Formula One car, but only one has won a race, and the one that won a race has only won one race in Formula One (try saying that five times quickly). Sadly it isn’t Juan Pablo Montoya, but Jarno Trulli, winner of the 2004 Monaco GP.

Amlin Aguri
Katherine Legge – 77
Fabio Leimer – 55

Andretti Formula E
Franck Montagny – 27
Charles Pic – 28

Audi Sport Abt
Lucas di Grassi – 11
Daniel Abt – 66

China Racing
Nelson Piquet – 99
Ho-Pin Tung – 88

Dragon Racing
Jerome d’Ambrosio – 7
Oriol Servia – 6

e.dams Renault
Nicolas Prost – 8
Sebastien Buemi – 9

Mahindra Racing
Karun Chandhok – 5
Bruno Senna – 21

Trulli
Jarno Trulli – 10
Michela Cerruti – 18

Venturi
Nick Heidfeld – 23
Stephane Sarrazin – 30

Virgin Racing
Jaime Alguersuari – 3
Sam Bird – 2