Prost: Electric cars will test new F1 technology
The nephew of Ayrton Senna was speaking yesterday as he prepared to line up against the son of four-time Formula One champion Prost, rekindling one of the greatest rivalries in motorsport.
The pair will be competing in the first-ever Formula E race, near the Bird's Nest stadium.
Formula E has received high-profile backing from the likes of Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and British tycoon Richard Branson, and some believe it represents an eco-friendly future for the sport.
"Beyond a competition, Formula E needs to be a sort of laboratory… especially for completely new technologies," said Prost, the co-founder of E.Dams Renault, the team which has his son Nicolas as one of its drivers.
Prost said the race itself will be "quite complicated" and the winning driver will need to work closely with the car's engineers, given that the teams are using identical vehicles for Formula E's inaugural season.
"Just by pushing like hell is not going to be good, at least at the beginning," he said.
Senna said that drivers were expected to run into "a few bits and pieces of trouble" as Formula E is a new series.
"I think the first few races will probably be a bit more of a lottery," said Senna, who has been signed up by Mumbai-based Mahindra Racing.
Prost and Senna will be lining up on the grid with Nelson Piquet Junior, whose father was also a formidable racer in the 1980s and ‘90s.
"I think it is exciting for sure and is good for the championship to revive some of the old school battles," Senna said.
"Of course for me, Nico and Nelson we have a great relationship which is a bit different to what our family members had before," he said while laughing — and peering towards Prost senior.
Piquet will be driving for home favorite China Racing.