Formula E: Ahead of quitting series, Mercedes wins both titles

Ahead of  a rumored announcement it is joining both BMW and Audi in quitting Formula E, the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team concluded its second season in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as double World Champions: Stoffel Vandoorne finished third in the final outing of the season in Berlin, while P8 is enough for Nyck de Vries to win the drivers’ title

• Stoffel booked his fifth Formula E pole position in qualifying and his third of the current season, which means that he has started from P1 on the grid more times than any other driver in the current campaign.
• The E-Prix was red-flagged for almost 30 minutes after an accident at the start and then resumed behind the safety car.
• Stoffel led the race in the early stages but lost several positions as the pursuing bunch elected to use attack mode. In a thrilling final charge, he overtook several drivers with his second attack mode to finish the race on the podium in P3.
• Nyck started in the first qualifying group and booked 13th position on the grid.
• In 36 action-packed laps of E-Prix racing, Nyck fought his way up the field to put himself in contention for a podium before eventually crossing the finish line in P8.
• Nyck (99 points) wins the drivers’ championship by a seven-point margin ahead of Edoardo Mortara (Venturi Racing, 92 points) and a further one point ahead of Jake Dennis (BMW, 91 points) in third. He also claims the first ever World Championship title to be awarded in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Stoffel (82 points) finishes the season in ninth place overall.
• The Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team (183 points) has completed its second season in the series as team World Champions ahead of runners-up Jaguar Racing (172 points) and third-placed DS Techeetah (170 points).
• The next season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will kick-off on the weekend of 28/29 January 2022 with a double-header in Diriyah.

Nyck de Vries:
“I’m lost for words. I mean, it’s been such a tough season with highs and lows, and in the end, it came down to the last race, and I am just so pleased that it was enough for me to win the title. I’m starting to get a little emotional now. I think we had a lot of fortune on our side today considering everything that happened in the race. I’m glad everyone is okay after the incident at the start. We drove an incredible race, had very good pace and I’m very happy for the team that we not only won the drivers’ World Championship but also the teams’ title. The team has worked insanely hard this season, and this is the reward we deserve. Towards the end, I felt like I had a target on my back. I was being attacked from left, right, front and rear, so when I knew it would be enough for the championship, I brought it home. What a race!”

Stoffel Vandoorne:
“That was an eventful race. I lacked a bit of pace after the start, and we weren’t as fast as we needed to be before everyone went for attack mode. That’s why I found myself in a difficult situation after the safety car deployment. I had a tough fight against some opponents out there, and I’m relieved that I still managed to finish on the podium. All in all, it’s a fantastic day for the team. Congratulations to Nyck on winning the drivers’ World Championship and of course to the whole team on winning the teams’ title. It’s been a great season with ups and downs for us, but it’s great to finish on such a successful note. It’s what everyone in the team deserves for the effort they’ve put in.”

Ian James, Team Principal:
“We’ve added to over 125 years of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport heritage by winning not only the drivers’ but also the teams’ World Championship in Formula E.

First of all, for Nyck this is testimony to his driving throughout the season, his approach, his hard work and also to the out-and-out racer that he truly is. Today, he drove with tenacity and with grit, which has resulted in the situation that we happily find ourselves in today.

For the team, this is also indicative of all of the endless hours of work and effort that they have put into developing the car, as well as every other aspect of a team that really is world-class standard. I am proud to call each and every one of them my teammates, and they are deserving of this win.

Also, hats off to Norman Nato and to Venturi Racing for their superb win today. It was phenomenal to see the Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 achieve what we always knew was possible. It’s with a great deal of excitement that I now look forward to defending both titles in season 8.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
“What an end to this season. The highs, lows, ups and downs have been a given this season, and the final race of the season wasn’t an exception. What we saw today was a reflection of how the season has been unfolding; not straightforward, always unexpected, but with hard work always rewarded in the end.

Today’s championship win marks the first all-electric World Championship win for Mercedes-Benz, and with that history was written.

Congratulations to the team, all the men and women in the UK and Germany who’ve made this possible. This is their win.”

Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO:
“Congratulations to the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team and Nyck de Vries: the first team and driver to claim an all-electric World Championship. This also marked Mercedes-Benz’ first main victory in electric racing, adding to the already rich Mercedes-Benz Motorsport history. I am very proud that our team once more demonstrated Mercedes-Benz’ electric drive competence.

Over the last two seasons the team have shown the world what Mercedes-Benz is all about: pushing the boundaries and paving the way in every field of mobility.”