This weekend of Formula E will be the last one for Audi Sport ABT as the team will quit the series after Berlin.
The German manufacturer leaves the championship after 84 races and seven years since the inaugural championship race was held.
Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH and responsible for motorsport, has acknowledged the importance of Formula E in developing EV technology and that the team will now move forward to a different challenge.
“Audi was the first German manufacturer to compete in Formula E. 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,” he said. “It’s time for us to take the next step in motorsport. 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.”
The Audi team has dominated Formula E for years as it won 46 trophies and holds the record for the most fastest laps by a team or the most podium positions by a driver by Lucas di Grassi. The Brazilian is one of only two drivers on the grid to have contested all Formula E races so far, and the only one to have done so for the same team: Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler.
René Rast (10th) and Lucas di Grassi (14th) are still within striking distance as well as is Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler in the team classification to say goodbye with a trophy in hand, according to Team Principal Allan McNish.
“We’re coming to Berlin to say goodbye to Formula E and to our fans with our heads held high,” he said. “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.”
For the finale of its first World Championship season, Formula E will once again use the former Tempelhof Airport with its 2.355-kilometer track this weekend. On Saturday, the course will be driven counterclockwise, on Sunday in the opposite direction. All channels, including broadcast times, can be found online at www.fiaformulae.com.