Breaking news
Formula E
Venturi: Testing Mercedes drivers just a coincidence
The Venturi Formula E team insists its evaluation of two Mercedes DTM drivers in official pre-season testing is not linked to the German manufacturer’s impending entry in the series.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Oct 10, 2017, 1:35 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Edoardo Mortara and Venturi 2016/17 driver Maro Engel both ran in Valencia last week, amid claims Venturi will be utilised by Mercedes to enhance its knowledge of the electric single-seater series this season.
It has been suggested that personnel from Mercedes’ favoured operating team HWA would be deployed to help educate it for a mooted proxy 2018/19 entry, ahead of Mercedes’ works participation in 2019/20.
Venturi chief technical officer Franck Baldet told Motorsport.com he understood why people were making the connection but stressed it was just a coincidence.
“You’re right, Maro and Edoardo are two drivers from DTM and from Mercedes,” he said.
“It is very easy to make the link between those two drivers and Mercedes coming into Formula E and so they come into Venturi.
"Maro was already here before. It’s because some drivers are very keen to enter FE. Mercedes announced they will stop the DTM so they don’t want to lose these drivers and is finding where there are some empty seats.
“We were one of the teams that had two empty seats, so it doubled our chance to have a Mercedes driver."
Engel is understood to be confident about his chances of a 2017/18 seat, while Tom Dillmann completed the 2016/17 FE season with Venturi and thought he was in line to continue with the team until last month.
Mortara told Motorsport.com his progression to a testing role with Venturi was “pretty last-minute”.
“We started speaking about some possible tests quite late,” he explained. “I was obviously up for it, because FE is a good opportunity, especially for the future.
“I hope it’s not going to be only testing, and we can go racing together.”
Mortara knows Jacky Eeckelaert, the ex-Abt DTM technical director in the DTM, who has recently been recruited by Venturi in a senior role from Dragon Racing.
Baldet said this had helped facilitate Mortara’s opportunity.
Lexus Super GT driver James Rossiter and Venturi development driver Michael Benyahia also drove in the test.
Rossiter said it was “simple” to get permission from Toyota/TOM’S to explore an FE programme, and had approached the test with a race seat in mind.
“The biggest thing has been spending time with the team and my approach has been to try all the systems, try different things with the energy harvesting and race runs, to try and get a comfortable set-up,” he said.
“If I’m lucky enough to end up in the team as a race driver in Hong Kong this is my last chance to do all these things.
“It’s been remarkably productive. I’ve really educated myself, but also been asking questions that have shone light on areas that haven’t been looked at previously.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Sims and Blomqvist could share Andretti Formula E drive
Next article Nissan set to replace Renault in Formula E
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Edoardo Mortara
How Mahindra missed out on London win but capped its best Formula E season yet
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix II
How Mahindra missed out on London win but capped its best Formula E season yet
Nyck de Vries defends himself after latest Formula E clash in Berlin
Formula E
Formula E
Berlin ePrix II
Nyck de Vries defends himself after latest Formula E clash in Berlin
Mahindra is a Formula E frontrunner again, but will it end its five-year victory drought?
Formula E
Formula E
Jeddah ePrix II
Mahindra is a Formula E frontrunner again, but will it end its five-year victory drought?
More from
Venturi
Venturi boss d'Ambrosio leaves rebranded Maserati Formula E team
Formula E
Formula E
Venturi boss d'Ambrosio leaves rebranded Maserati Formula E team
Di Grassi's 1000th Formula E point an "emotional" landmark
Formula E
Formula E
Seoul ePrix I
Di Grassi's 1000th Formula E point an "emotional" landmark
Di Grassi explains London Formula E race-winning tactics
Formula E
Formula E
London ePrix II
Di Grassi explains London Formula E race-winning tactics
Latest news
Tony Stewart: violent Talladega Truck wreck "knocked the wind out of me"
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Talladega
27 min
Tony Stewart: violent Talladega Truck wreck "knocked the wind out of me"
Cleetus McFarland “pissed” after early Talladega NASCAR Truck crash
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Talladega
46 min
Cleetus McFarland “pissed” after early Talladega NASCAR Truck crash
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Leclerc on top in FP2
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Leclerc on top in FP2
Exploring Ferrari's 'less than a tenth' US GP update package
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Exploring Ferrari's 'less than a tenth' US GP update package
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe