Mahindra Racing going for Formula E gold in the City of Light - Speedway Digest

Mahindra Racing returns to Paris on Saturday for the sixth round of the 2016-17 FIA Formula E Championship.

The Paris ePrix proved a happy hunting ground for the team during the inaugural race in 2016, with both Mahindra Racing drivers picking up points and Nick Heidfeld setting the fastest lap of the race.

This year the team heads to the circuit with a stronger package in the form of the M3Electro and with renewed hopes of another strong finish as we reach the mid-way point of the season. Paris will be the last of the single event races before Formula E tackles double-headers in Berlin, New York and Montreal.

The Circuit des Invalides is the second shortest circuit on the Formula E calendar at 1.9km in length – only Monaco measures shorter. Last year was also one of the coldest ePrixs ever held, which presented a new set of challenges for teams. Getting the tyres up to temperature will remain a key issue for all teams, and there remains a high chance of rain during the course of the day.

This is the first time in Formula E history to feature back-to-back events, and provides the team the opportunity to maximise results by building on the momentum from the Monaco ePrix, where Nick Heidfeld pulled off a stunning move at the start and finished third and Felix Rosenqvist brought home more points in sixth.

Nick Heidfeld now lies sixth in the drivers’ standings and will be aiming for back-to-back podiums, while teammate Felix Rosenqvist sits four points behind in seventh place and will be mounting his own challenge for his second podium of the season.

Dilbagh Gill, Team Principal said, “Paris was a great addition to the Formula E calendar last year and the team can’t wait to return. After our strong performance in Monaco this weekend, we are looking forward to building on this momentum and cement our position in both championships.”

Nick Heidfeld said, “Arriving at the venue last year in the middle of the most beautiful city in the world was mind blowing. Last year many cars struggled with low tyre temperatures in relatively cold conditions, and so this will be a key focus for us in Paris. We have new Michelin tyres for season three and we will have to see how they cope in these conditions. It was nice to have the fastest lap last year, but going into race day the focus will be on a podium finish!”

Felix Rosenqvist said, “The back-to-back weekends will mean Paris will feel like the same weekend as Monaco. Normally we have a couple of weeks to analyse the data from the previous race and take those learnings into the next ePrix, but with only a couple of days between races you can only do so much. Preparation is key to this race – ours started at the same time as Monaco. It’s going to be hard on everyone but we’re confident of another strong finish.”

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.