MS Amlin Andretti looking for progress in Paris. 17.05.2017: The MS Amlin Andretti team heads to the sixth round of the 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship this week, as the race

The MS Amlin Andretti team heads to the sixth round of the 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship this week, as the race series for all-electric cars takes to the streets of Paris (FRA) for the second season running on Saturday, 20th May. António Félix da Costa (POR), BMW works driver, and Robin Frijns (NED) will drive again the two ATEC-002 chassis in the French capital.




The Challenge


France’s ePrix holds a chance for the team and its drivers to bounce back after a disappointing race in Monaco (MON). Both drivers entered the final lap in points-paying positions, but a technical issue and a post-race penalty meant they left with no reward.




 There was much to be optimistic about, however, with good pace and positions gained by both cars during the race. The track in Paris, like its street-racing siblings on the calendar, is a technical, busy challenge for the drivers. Passing could be a real test: the track is as narrow as any in motor racing.



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 in Season 3, having run the standard Formula E technology in the first two seasons.



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


António Félix da Costa, MS Amlin Andretti: “Racing in places like Paris and Monaco is incredibly special. You can see how much the series is moving forward season-on-season, because there are so many fans at the race, so much interest in the show we’re putting on. I’m proud to be a part of it. Paris is going to be an interesting race



It’s a crazy tight track, and with the mixed weather forecast it could be a really interesting weekend. Though it was disappointing to lose the points in Monaco, actually we saw a lot of positives – on a track where it’s really difficult to overtake, we managed to pass a few people and had good race pace.




That’s definitely good. So for Paris, we have to focus on improving the parts that weren’t so good – particularly qualifying. It’s even harder to pass in Paris than in Monaco.”



Robin Frijns, MS Amlin Andretti: “The Paris ePrix last year went pretty well for me and the MS Amlin Andretti team. I had a good fight with António, which was fun because he wasn't my teammate last year. In the end, I finished seventh which wasn't a bad result.




We've had a difficult time the past few races and we are looking to finally get back into the points in Paris. The team has been working very hard for a good finish. Let's see what Paris brings us!”



The City


Paris is as famous as any metropolis in the world – artistic, historic and a cultural centre. Its first Formula E event, held in 2016, was one of the highlights of the season and teams, drivers and fans alike all anticipate a great experience once more.



Paris is a sporting powerhouse. It has twice hosted the Olympic games and is known to many as the birthplace of motor racing, with the Paris-Rouen race in 1894 often referred to as the first truly competitive motor race.



 The city’s architecture is legendary; the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and cathedral at Notre-Dame are spectacles rarely matched. Even on a calendar blessed with cities like New York (USA), Berlin (GER) and Hong Kong (HKG), Paris is a special place for a motor race.



The Circuit


The track layout optimises the city’s landscape to ensure that there is a truly Parisian feeling to the circuit’s backdrop – both the Eiffel Tower and Musee l’Armee feature. Racing around the beautiful Les Invalides complex, the drivers experience a variety of turns, but mostly the 90-degree turns characteristic of many street tracks.



The difficulty of the circuit comes both in its narrowness – one of the tightest on the calendar – and the sweeping, constricted Turn 3, for which drivers need commitment and a near perfect set up for a fast time.




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”.




Ingo Lehbrink, photos BMW