Breaking news
Formula E
Wolff: Formula E is "Super Mario Kart with real drivers"
Mercedes Formula 1 team principal and motorsport boss Toto Wolff says Formula E is “Super Mario Kart with real drivers” after watching the manufacturer’s new team exceed its debut targets.
Alex Kalinauckas
Published: Nov 30, 2019, 11:44 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Wolff attended the two season-opening FE races in Saudi Arabia last weekend, and saw Mercedes drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries qualify second and third for the first event, with the former going on to finish third behind race winner Sam Bird.
Vandoorne also ended up taking third in the second Diriyah E-Prix after on-the-road runner-up Maximilian Gunther was penalised for overtaking behind the safety car.
Wolff, who has attended several FE races since it was announced that Mercedes would leave the DTM to concentrate on its F1 effort and establishing a team in the electric championship back in July 2017, said the results had “overachieved” Mercedes’ “realistic target”.
“I really enjoyed the experience, I must say,” Wolff said in the team principals' press conference for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia before and launching our Mercedes Formula E journey was very special.
“The crowds were phenomenal, seeing how this country is opening up – something I didn’t expect in that way.
“And the racing is very different to Formula 1, clearly you can say that. For me it’s Super Mario Kart with real drivers, but it’s absolutely valid to give that a chance.
“And Nyck has already contributed a great deal to the team’s performance.He’s very mature and the way he’s – as a personality and as a racing driver – been able to slot into the team with Stoffel is really nice to see.
“We have set our ambitions or our expectations on a realistic target, which we have overachieved and both of the drivers contributed to this happening.”
Mercedes FE team principal Ian James said his squad “didn't expect it at all” to score a debut podium.
“We didn't really know what to expect if I'm completely honest,” he continued to Motorsport.com
“The last couple of days [before the season started] were pretty grim for all of us because just not knowing is probably the worst thing.
“But now we do know that we've got at least a strong, competitive package.”
Vandoorne was beaten to second place in the first Diriyah race by Andre Lotterer, which meant Porsche also recorded a debut FE podium.
Lotterer indicated that the result had also be somewhat unanticipated at his squad.
“P2 for the first race is great,” he told Motorsport.com. “I don't know if anyone expected that but obviously I wanted to be on the podium.
“We come, we race to win. But relatively [we] would have been [expecting] a top 10, maybe.
“But the podium was nice. You can always do better. It's never ending it in any team. So, this is our base and we will try to improve from there.”
Andre Lotterer, Porsche, Stoffel Vandoorne, Mercedes Benz EQ congratulate each other on the podium
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
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 Massa has no explanation for starting grid error
Next article Formula E receives FIA world championship status for 2020/21
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Alex Kalinauckas
Who is Kimi Antonelli, F1 sprint polesitter at just 18?
Formula 1
Formula 1
Who is Kimi Antonelli, F1 sprint polesitter at just 18?
Why Bottas has the edge over Perez in 2026 F1 return race
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Why Bottas has the edge over Perez in 2026 F1 return race
What if Red Bull solved its second-car problem with a paint job?
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
What if Red Bull solved its second-car problem with a paint job?
More from
Mercedes
Why Mercedes switched George Russell to its old F1 car spec in Singapore
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Why Mercedes switched George Russell to its old F1 car spec in Singapore
Christian Horner admits that F1 rivalry with Toto Wolff became "theatre"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Christian Horner admits that F1 rivalry with Toto Wolff became "theatre"
Latest news
Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
27 min
Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team
NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
1 h
NASCAR Cup Phoenix starting lineup: Blaney earns pole as Larson struggles
Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
2 h
Ryan Blaney kind of faces a must-win scenario this weekend at Phoenix
Catching Larson in the NASCAR Chase has to start at track where 'I suck'
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
3 h
Catching Larson in the NASCAR Chase has to start at track where 'I suck'
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