Mercedes-Benz takes option to enter Formula E Championship

Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd has signed an agreement that means it could enter the FIA Formula E Championship in season five.

The agreement means that Mercedes-Benz may choose to be one of the maximum 12 entries for the 2018/19 season.

There are currently 10 teams competing in Formula E and season five is set to be a new milestone for the championship, as two new entries will be allocated and, thanks to battery developments, drivers will use only one car to complete the event, as opposed to the current format of two cars per driver.

The involvement of Mercedes-Benz will likely be seen as a major step forward for the league’s credibility, given the manufacturers storied history in motor sport.

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, said: “We have been watching the growth of Formula E with great interest. At the current time, we are looking at all the options available in the future of motor racing, and we are very pleased with an agreement that secures us an opportunity to enter the series in season five. Electrification will play a major role in the future of the automotive industry - racing has always been a technology R&D platform for the motor industry, and this will make Formula E very relevant in the future.”

Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, said: “We are delighted to confirm that we have reserved one of our two new entries in season five for MGP. Formula E wants to become the platform where car manufacturers test and develop the technologies that they will then introduce on their road cars. Having the chance to include a brand like Mercedes in our championship in the future would be a major boost to achieve that objective. Formula E is becoming an exciting mix of consolidated manufacturers like Renault, Citroen-DS, Audi, Mahindra or Jaguar, and new futuristic brands like Faraday Future, NextEV, or the likes of major component manufacturers like Schaeffler and ZF. Mercedes would be a great addition to that growing line-up.”

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