Start of the 2017/2018 Formula E season for Team Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler: On the first race weekend in Hong Kong (December 2/3), champion Lucas di Grassi and his teammate, Daniel Abt, will be tackling two races instead of one.

The wait is over. Next weekend, Formula E will start its fourth season. Schaeffler is actively involved in the innovative electric racing series as the official Technology Partner of Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler. About four months ago, the team celebrated the 2016/2017 drivers’ championship win by Lucas di Grassi.



Since the 2014/2015 inaugural Formula E season, Schaeffler, with its commitment in Formula E, has been emphasizing its position as a pioneer in electric mobility on the race track as well. Ever since the technical regulations began to provide greater latitude for the 2015/2016 season, specialists from Schaeffler have been involved in the development of the powertrain for the team’s race car. The new Audi e-tron FE04 for the 2017/2018 season incorporates technology “made by Schaeffler” as well. Together with Audi, engineers of the technology group developed the centerpiece of the vehicle: the combination of the motor and transmission. As in the past three seasons, the current champion, Lucas di Grassi from Brazil, and his German teammate, Daniel Abt, will be at the wheel of the single-seater race car.

Ten renowned teams, 20 of the world’s best drivers and a race calendar which, with 14 races at eleven events, is more extensive than ever before: The upcoming Formula E season makes the hearts of fans beat faster. Four locations – Rome, Santiago de Chile, São Paulo and Zurich – are on the calendar for the first time. The season kicks off in Hong Kong. On the 1.86-kilometer Hong Kong Central Harbourfront Circuit, like in New York and Montreal, two races will be held. The schedule is tight: Free practice, qualifying and the races will take place on Saturday, December 2 and on Sunday, December 3, all within the space of just a few hours. Both races will start at 3 PM local time.

However, Hong Kong not only holds “high-powered” motorsport action in store for the teams, drivers and fans but also the world’s most advanced public transportation system. The Chinese Special Administration Region has perfectly adapted to the local conditions of a large number of people living in a relatively small space. The residents, for instance, move from A to B using the longest outdoor escalator, the ultra-modern subway network or government-subsidized electric passenger cars.