2022 Formula E Season: Here’s What You Need to Know
There’s a couple of rookie drivers to enter the series. Former Alfa Romeo F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi has signed for Jay Penske’s Dragon squad, and ex-McLaren IndyCar racer Oliver Askew is joining the Andretti team. The Andretti seat is a good one, with proven race-winning form, while Dragon has never been an easy team to work with in terms of strategy.
Slightly controversial former Williams F1 junior driver Dan Ticktum is also joining NIO 333. The team was able to recover a big chunk of form last season but is still on a long road to recovery after taking the first-ever Formula E drivers’ title with Nelson Piquet Jr. in 2015. Ticktum has development experience that might help the team move forward, but is likely set for a frustrating season of back marking, as the squad slid down the order last year from a relatively strong start.
One of the biggest changes this year will be that Lucas di Grassi, who’d driven every single Formula E round for ABT and Audi, has been forced to move teams and is now stacking up against the highly-rated (and last year’s second place) Edoardo Mortara at Venturi. Di Grassi’s a Formula E powerhouse, with some cunning tactical awareness and one of the series’ biggest characters, while Venturi CEO Susie Wolff absolutely means business in taking titles for the team this year.
- Mercedes: Nyck de Vries (2021 champion) and Stoffel Vandoorne
- Jaguar: Sam Bird and Mitch Evans
- DS Techeetah: Jean-Éric Vergne and Antonio Felix da Costa
- Envision: Robin Frijns and Nick Cassidy
- Andretti: Jake Dennis and Oliver Askew
- Venturi: Lucas di Grassi and Edoardo Mortara
- Porsche: Pascal Wehrlein and André Lotterer
- Mahindra: Oliver Rowland and Alexander Sims
- Nissan e.Dams: Sebastien Buemi and Max Günther
- Dragon-Penske: Antonio Giovinazzi and Sergio Sette-Camara
- NIO 333: Oliver Turvey and Dan Ticktum
One final change is that Porsche will now be supplying the series’ safety car—rather than BMW’s “danger car,” as the former open-top i8 made for spectacular onboards but possibly questionable safety. The electric racers will now run behind a Porsche Taycan under caution. Allegedly (from Porsche’s spiel), the livery reflects the colors of all 11 Formula E teams. But let’s be real, that’s the Rothmans livery in the back and the Martini up front.
As the series matures into a new season, it’s safe to say that things will be more unpredictable and exciting than ever. Fingers crossed for an amazing season.
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