Envision Racing head to Shanghai for Round 12 & 13 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
Following an up-and-down race day in Sanya, Envision Racing now turns its attention to Shanghai for the next chapter of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season – a significant weekend on home soil for team owners Envision Group.
After returning to China in Sanya, Formula E now heads to Shanghai for the second event of the all-electric World Championship’s three-race Chinese stretch, with the team eager to turn promising pace into points at one of the championship’s most distinctive venues.
In Sanya, both Envision Racing drivers showed encouraging speed in qualifying, securing places inside the top 10 and underlining the potential of the package across a single lap. However, a challenging race marked by strategy and overall pace meant the team was ultimately unable to convert that promise into points – leaving Shanghai as an immediate opportunity to respond.
THE CIRCUIT
Shanghai International Circuit has been adapted from its full Formula 1 layout for Formula E competition, creating a modified configuration that retains the character of the famous venue while presenting a very different challenge in all-electric machinery. The track features 12 turns and combines technical lower-speed sections with longer, more open corners, placing a premium on efficiency, traction and race management.
As a permanent circuit with a wider profile than many traditional Formula E venues, Shanghai offers a contrasting test to the streets of Sanya. The layout can create more scope for overtaking opportunities, while the rhythm of the lap and energy demands will play a major role in shaping strategy across the weekend.
For Envision Racing, Shanghai presents a valuable chance to reset after the frustrations of Sanya. The team demonstrated strong one-lap pace, with both drivers narrowly missing out on the duel stages of qualifying. The race initially looked strong, however a badly timed Red Flag for Sébastien Buemi which wiped out his Attack Mode, and then lack of pace for Joel Eriksson, led to no points on the board.
Buemi heads to Shanghai looking to build on the speed he and the team have shown across recent events. The Swiss driver has regularly demonstrated the ability to fight at the front this season during the races, with qualifying being a key area for him to work on going forward.
Alongside him, Eriksson will also be aiming to bounce back in Shanghai after showing encouraging qualifying pace in Sanya. The Swedish driver continues to grow in confidence during his Formula E campaign, and the Shanghai weekend offers another important chance to convert potential into big points as Envision Racing competes on home soil for its owners.
The Shanghai E-Prix weekend begins with Free Practice 1 on Friday July 3rd before qualifying and the race take place across the event schedule.
