Renault e.dams 2017 Buenos Aires ePrix Preview 16.02.2017: Renault e.dams, Nicolas Prost and Sébastien Buemi take to the streets of Buenos Aires this weekend for the third round of season three of

Renault e.dams, Nicolas Prost and Sébastien Buemi take to the streets of Buenos Aires this weekend for the third round of season three of the FIA Formula E Championship, the Buenos Aires ePrix on February 18.




An elongated gap has elapsed since the last race of the championship, the Marrakesh ePrix on November 12, where Séb charged from seventh on the grid to take the chequered flag and make it two wins from two starts for him and the team in season three.




The defending Drivers’ champion heads to Argentina with good memories of past pace at the Puerto Madero circuit, but no visit to the top step, yet.



Nico Prost will also be hoping to go one better, after having finished in second place in the first-ever Buenos Aires ePrix in 2015, and finishing fifth last time out at the track in 2016.



Renault e.dams arrive in Argentina with 74 points in the Teams’ championship after wins in the opening ePrix in Hong Kong and Morocco were secured by Séb, who sits on 50 points in the Drivers’ standings. Nico sits in third in the standings with 24 points, just four points behind second-placed Lucas di Grassi.



This will be Formula E’s third visit to the Argentine capital, with the previous two ePrix both having taken place on the same 2.48km anticlockwise, asphalt and concrete track.



Renault is a leading brand in Argentina, deeply rooted in the country’s automotive and industrial history. With a 14.5% market share, it’s the third biggest brand in the country and has been producing vehicles at the Cordoba plant for 60 years with an output of over three million vehicles.



 Renault Argentina is the second biggest market in terms of sales of RS cars in the world with the Mégane III RS, Fluence GT and Sandero RS. The Kangoo Z.E. and Twizy from Renault’s electric range are planned for launch in Argentina later this year and both vehicles are under local evaluation as part of this weekend’s ePrix.



Renault’s racing activities in Argentina include Super TC 2000 with the Fluence, where Renault won the 2016 brand and team championship titles; Dakar, with the Renault Duster Dakar Team; Formula Renault over the past 38 years where over 1500 drivers have competed and TC, where Renault participates with the Renault Sport Torino Team.






Thematic article: What it’s like to race electric!



No noise, no engine braking, no petrol… What is it really like to race electric and how does this relate to driving electric vehicles on the road?



Reigning Formula E Drivers’ Champion and Renault e.dams driver Sébastien Buemi gives a little insight:



“The interesting thing is that there isn’t that much difference for you as a driver at the end of the day. One aspect that people always recognise is the different noise, however the behaviour of the car, its speed and how it reacts is pretty much in line with an internal combustion powered car. When I come to an ePrix, I don’t think ‘this is something completely different’, I approach it just as I would any other race.



“Certainly, when you are in an ePrix, you are racing for position, you are ensuring that you take the correct line through the corners, you are working to your strategy. It is true that you are monitoring and managing your energy consumption in an ePrix, but in another race you’d be managing your fuel consumption and tyre performance, so there is no fundamental difference.



“The great aspect of racing electric is that we’re pushing developments which are highly relevant for road vehicles. We’re making rapid progress and the technology here is very relevant to the cars which are on sale and soon will be on sale.



“We’ve seen improvements in Formula E regarding power and efficiency so as a driver you really feel that you are linked to something big for the future. Everything that the manufacturers do and learn here has relevance and can be translated into road cars like the ZOE. There are more aspects which are relevant for the road than you see in other championships like Formula 1, for example.



“The wings you develop for a Formula 1 car have no relevance for the road, but the efficiency gains you make in Formula E do have relevance for electric vehicles on the road!



“The Z.E.16 is a great car to race and it is fantastic to be able to race it in so many cities so people can really get to understand the potential and benefits of electric cars. I’m proud to be part of it.“

     

- Renault edams also photos