SWITCHING MOTHERHOOD FOR MOTHERBOARDS

For many around the world, today is Mother’s Day. Mothering Sunday, as it’s known, can be traced back to the 16^th century when house servants were given time off to worship with their families, although more modern interpretations link it to the work by US socialist Anna Maria Jarvis in the early 1900s.

Although dates can vary across the globe, either way it’s seen as a time to give thanks and praise to female family members…and perhaps none more so than those in a tiny remote village in Central America.

Cachimbo, an island off the southern coast of Mexico, will most likely mean little to most people reading this, but in 2013 it was headline news as it, together with many areas in this region, were devastated by hurricane Barbara.

Yet, thousands of miles away in India, those TV news images were watched by a man called Sanjit ‘Bunker’ Roy – founder of the Barefoot College – and the start of what would become an amazing story of human endeavour.

Barefoot is an organisation set up to help rural communities become self-sufficient. Its founder ‘Bunker’ Roy began the idea after spending time in villages all over India and realising the huge gap between men and women in areas such as education, job opportunities, and even human rights.

Later voted one of TIME 100s most influential personalities, ‘Bunker’ Roy saw the potential in hundreds of women to be able to do more for their remote villages, including produce energy. Over time, he set up the Women Barefoot Solar Engineers Training Centre in Tilonia, India, to teach women how to create basic solar energy systems that would given them light, and more importantly independence, in their own home.

Energy is a human right…

“Climate change is a huge factor,” recalls Rodrigo Paris, the Regional Coordinator for Barefoot College, on the aftereffects of Hurricane Barabara. “The people suffering the most are those in the coastal regions like Cachimbo. People are being forced to move because of this.”

Life was never the same after the hurricane swept through the village in 2013. Ever since, more and more men from the village have left in search of work in nearby cities, leaving behind loved-ones and the village’s traditional skillset.

“Migration to cities from such small villages is a big problem,” continues Rodrigo. “Often in these communities it’s the men that migrate to the cities in search of work, leaving women behind. But governments don’t have an interest to put energy in isolated areas, so we have to rely on other means. It’s crazy. Everyone in the world should have access to energy. Energy is life, energy is freedom. Energy is a human right.”

So through ‘Bunker’ Roy and Barefoot, it was decided to offer women from Cachimbo to have the opportunity to go to their specialist training centre in India for five months to teach them the ins and outs of solar engineering.

“The tech may look complex, but we can simplify it,” explains Rodrigo, adding: “especially as often there are multiple languages in the room. We use standard things like colours and numbers in order to teach people without relying on language.”

Solar mothers…

One of those students was Norma Guerra, who had lived all her life in Cachimbo. “We had no lights in our village and we need them to prepare food and to cook,” says Norma. “The younger people in our village thought they would be selected for the project because of their age. We never thought they would choose older women like us! They explained we’d have to learn how to solder, using delicate and tiny components. And I explained that I had a problem with my eyes. And they said no problem, I could have an operation in India. The only problem now was convincing my husband! But he quickly agreed!”

Norma continues: “At first it was hard to learn but Barefoot were with us throughout. When it was time to come home I was a bit anxious, but my family was there to greet me. Our village is now transformed. It’s all lit up like a Christmas tree!”

“We arrived with lots of hope to electrify our village and we did. I wish there was more organisations like this so other women in other villages can have the opportunity to light up their homes. Light is beautiful and everyone should have it. And, if more people switched to clean energy, like we have here, then it would make a difference.”

Leaves you lost for words…

Last month, Formula E travelled to Mexico for its fourth round of the season and a chance for the team at Envision Virgin Racing to meet up with some of these incredible women from Cachimbo and for them to see another type of clean energy working in action.

Silvia Orozco, Vilma Lopez, Alika Santiago and Socorro Lopez Cu, together with Barefoot’s Rodrigo, were given special access to the Mexico E-Prix hanging out at the team’s garage and meeting Managing Director Sylvain Filippi.

“What they do is absolutely incredible,” said Sylvain. “It’s one of those projects that leaves you lost or words. The skills they learn, and how they do it, is amazing and ones they can hopefully pass on to the younger generations. We all need to transition to renewable energies and what these ladies are doing is proof that it can be done no matter who you are or where you live.”

So, when you’re turning on the light today as you surprise your mum for Mother’s Day, spare a thought for Norma and the solar mothers who have brought a glimmer of hope to their village.

With thanks to the Barefoot Foundation https://www.barefootcollege.org/

Be sure to find out more about the team’s Race Against Climate Change programme here: https://envision-racing.com/racc/

ENVISION DONATE 100,000 FACE MASKS PER DAY

In an effort to help combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), world leading green technology company Envision Group – majority owners of Formula E Team Envision Virgin Racing – have established a new centre to produce 100,000 face masks per day.

The ‘Envision Smile Manufacturing Centre’ was established in just 15 days and has been operational since March 1. It is planned to have three production lines including one N95 production line. All masks produced are being donated to businesses, schools and communities – to those in the worse affected areas of China – to support the prevention of the epidemic and to help people in China return to normality. Masks are also being donated to Japan, South Korea and other locations to help fight against the outbreak.

In line with Envision Group’s ‘challenging spirit’ ethos, the new facility, along with the sourcing of the raw materials, was operational within two weeks, with the centre also far surpassing the government’s cleanliness standards for mask production.

The opening of the ‘Envision Smile Manufacturing Centre’ was also complemented with a donation of 50 million RMB (£5.5 million) against the coronavirus which, aided by its impressive global supply chain, has seen Envision Group deliver masks, personal protection equipment and other materials to key areas such as the Hubei Province.

Envision Group CEO and Team Owner of the Envision Virgin Racing Formula E Team Lei Zhang said:

Envision’s employees have overcome enormous difficulties to enable production to begin as scheduled at the new mask factory. All masks produced at the facility will be donated to help accelerate the resumption of work and life. When confronting challenges from wind, rain and the epidemic, rather than just crouch in a corner, we choose to awaken people’s hope with a smile. We aim to do more than just deliver masks. We aim to deliver hope and help people smile once again. We truly hope to see everyone ‘smile after the rain’.

Envision Virgin Racing is one of the leading teams in the all-electric Formula E series, which too has seen its races affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

MEET THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN THE FORMULA E PADDOCK

As Formula E heads into a new era and becomes a World Championship for the forthcoming season, the sport has become more competitive than ever. We caught up with the youngest member of the Formula E paddock – Envision Virgin Racing’s number two mechanic, John Robinson – to understand what it’s like working in one of the highest levels of motorsport.

How did you get involved in motorsport?
I’ve grown up around motorsport, my dad was working in Formula One when I was younger so I got to go to a lot of races with him and then he became the Paddock and Logistics Manager in Formula E so that opened up a whole new world of motorsport to me.

I really enjoyed school, and had good grades, so when I left, I attended Silverstone College to study a motorsport mechanics course which set me up well to begin my apprenticeship in motorsport. An apprenticeship is a great way to get into any mechanics job but particularly motorsport – it’s such a hands-on job that you really do learn best when you’re doing it. I’ve worked for some great teams during my apprenticeship and had some work experience at Envision Virgin Racing – where I attended the first ever test in Donnington – it was a great experience!

Why did you decide to work in Formula E?
Obviously, I had connections through my dad but having spent time with the team and getting to know Leon Price [Team and Sporting Director] better I felt this was the best place for me. Working in this championship is a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge and ultimately learn more about electric vehicles – a skill I think will be integral to my future in my motorsport.

What are the differences you’ve seen between traditional motorsport and FE?
My course at Silverstone, and my apprenticeship, were all based around normal combustion engine vehicles, but I believe the skills are hugely transferable. Minus the battery in our FE cars all the skills and knowledge are the same, at the end of the day it’s all nuts and bolts. The car has the same front end as a Formula 3 car, which I worked on previously, so I had a good base before starting with the team full time.

How does it feel working in Formula E at such a young age?
When I started with the team I was 18, just turning 19, and as far as I’m aware I’m the youngest person in my job role, if not in the entire paddock. It was incredibly daunting, every other mechanic in the paddock has years and years of experience at the highest levels of motorsport, so I always had this feeling that I was being watched more vigilantly than others – like I had something to prove. I’ve used this to my advantage though, I’ve set about trying to learn as much as possible from the people around me – there’s a huge amount of experience in Envision Virgin Racing, especially with the battery technology, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come since starting with the team.

Why did you choose to work for Envision Virgin Racing?
It’s the best team on the grid, I can’t imagine working anywhere else. We really proved ourselves in season five – coming third in the championship, as an independent team, was massively impressive and not something I can see many other teams being able to achieve. The wealth of knowledge and experience at Envision Virgin Racing is beyond anything I’ve ever known before – we’re fighting against the global OEMs and it’s ridiculous, the people here are just incredible. We will win the championship, it’s just a case of when.

The ethos of the team is great, everyone is willing to roll up their sleeves and work when they need to and, however cliché, we really are like a family unit. By not having the big pressures of a manufacturer, with sales targets, and having a core purpose of Race Against Climate Change, I believe we really are one of the most authentic teams in motorsport.

Have you ever felt out of your depth in the role?
Absolutely! Mexico City in season five was one of the most challenging weekends of my life and I was only two races in. Due to team circumstances I was placed as a number one mechanic on Sam’s [Bird] car and was full time on it for the entire weekend, that was hugely daunting. There weren’t any tasks that I wasn’t doing before but it was the responsibility – at such a young age – that came with the role that was nerve racking.

Now you’ve been in your job for a year and a half, how do you feel about Formula E?
From the very beginning I’ve known how advanced the technology is in the championship compared to anything else but now that I’ve actually worked in the team I’ve realised how correct that is. Compared to some of the other roles I’ve had it’s hugely challenging, but that’s great for me – I’m keen to pick up as many new skills as I can. It’s also not the same car every year, I’ve worked on both the Gen1 and Gen2 cars and the technology has evolved massively meaning that the entire team must evolve with it. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be but it’s really good.

What are the highs of the job?
For me, I think it’s knowing that I’ve done everything possible to get a car in a position to be starting at the front of the grid. Everything in motorsport comes down to fine margins and when we build the cars we’re incredibly precise – we do everything we can to get them at their peak working order for the drivers. When you see drivers doing laps that have hundredths of a second between them and you know you’ve done the best job to get everything out of the car it’s a great feeling and you feel like you’ve actually made a difference– it really is a team sport. We win and we lose together.

And what are the lows?
When a driver gets taken out of a race, it’s soul destroying. So much time and effort from every single member of the team has gone into get that car onto the starting grid and when they’re taking out – through no fault of their own – it’s the worst feeling. We don’t just spend race weekends working on the cars, there’s so much preparation that goes into a race beforehand and afterwards and it feels like all that work has just been thrown away. We’ve had a few races this season like that and it’s a tough pill to swallow but you have to pick yourself up and think of the next race, think about scoring points again because Formula E is open to anyone.

What does the future hold for you in motorsport?
For me, the next step is to become a full-time number one mechanic in Formula E. It’s the logical step for me and I feel like I’ve been so well supported by everyone around me that I’ll be hugely prepared for the role when that time comes.

What would you say to any young mechanics looking to start in motorsport?
You’ve got to have the right mindset I think, you’ve just got to get your head down and work hard. At the end of the day, that’s what people notice in motorsport – it’s a hard-working environment and you’ve got to show that you’re putting in the effort. Working in motorsport takes up a large part of your life so you’ve really got to know where you want to go and how you’re going to get there.

SAM & ROBIN GO BACK TO (KARTING) SCHOOL!

Like most racing drivers, Sam Bird and Robin Frijns began their careers at grass root levels on the karting track. Now professional racing drivers, the Envision Virgin Racing duo decided to return to their roots recently ahead of the Mexico City E-Prix.

Teaming up with electric karting club K1Speed, the pair headed to one of their new indoor circuits to teach – and inspire – students from the nearby American School Foundation, as part of the team’s sustainability programme entitled the Race Against Climate Change (RACC).

The group of male and female students, all aged around 16, were specially chosen from the school and all currently in the 11^th and 12^th grades, studying an array of subjects from engineering to entrepreneurship.

After a meet and greet with Sam and Robin, which included a personal autograph session, it was time for some top tips from the drivers, as well as chance for the students to ask any questions. Sam and Robin also handed out special RACC branded t-shirts for the students before it was time to get on their crash helmets and go racing.

“We’ve had a lot of fun with the guys today,” said Sam. Robin and I get to go racing all day, everyday, so it was great to give something back and let these students experience the same thrills we do, and also hopefully inspire them to get more involved with EVs and related subjects at school. After all, motorsport is such a team sport and there are so many roles for both men and women to get involved in.”

He added: “It was also so insightful for us to learn more about Mexico City and its air pollution issues. It’s incredible to think that one in 17 of all deaths in the city are as a result of poor air quality. That’s why we go racing and why Formula E is important and hopefully we can encourage the next generation to play their part.”

And so, to the most important part, who won? The Envision Virgin Racing drivers or the students? Well…

A huge thanks to K1Speed Karting – https://www.k1speed.com/

DID YOU KNOW…

– Mexico City has some of the worst air quality in the world and rarely meets the WHO recommended levels.

– One in 17 of all deaths are as a result of poor air quality.

– The number of vehicles has risen steeply from 2.5 million in 2000 to 9.6million today. The population of Mexico City is 21 million.

– Mexico City air pollution is a result of unfavourable weather, transport emissions, wood burning and city traffic. It is also located in a valley where there is little wind and at high altitude.

– Mexico City have announced they will ban diesel cars by 2025 and cut emissions by 50% (from 2000 levels) by 2050

– There is a growing switch to renewable energy thanks to the change in government-controlled energy suppliers

– There are now over 500 electric vehicles & 15,000 hybrid cars in Mexico City and over 900 EV charging stations

FORMULA E SEASON TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED

Formula E and the FIA have today announced that the 2019/20 season will be temporarily suspended for a two-month period, considering the challenge the current health crisis poses to the organisation of events in city-centres.

Envision Virgin Racing fully supports the decision made by Formula E, in coordination with the relevant local authorities, to temporarily freeze races held in highly-populated cities, due to the continued spread of coronavirus and the World Health Organisation officially declaring COVID-19 a pandemic.

With the well-being of staff, spectators and the entire championship workforce being the number one priority, precautionary measures put in place will restrict races from running during a set timeframe.

The series is implementing a flag system traditionally used in motorsport, to determine different phases and time windows where races could be rearranged or remain unaffected. Red representing no races, yellow keeping the opportunity open and green going ahead as planned.

Months marked as red flags are March and April, with May currently categorised as a yellow flag and both June and July given the green flag, should the situation improve and stabilise.

As a consequence of the suspension, it will no longer be possible to race in Paris and Seoul, or Jakarta as previously announced on the originally scheduled dates.

Speaking about the decision, Envision Virgin Racing’s Managing Director Sylvain Filippi said: “Like all Formula E teams, we’ve been monitoring the ongoing and evolving situation regarding the spread of COVID-19 extremely closely. Whilst it is in our nature to want to go racing, first and foremost is the health and safety of all the team members at Envision Virgin Racing and we fully understand and accept Formula E’s decision to suspend the current season.”

ROME E-PRIX POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS

Formula E has officially postponed the 2020 Rome E-Prix following concerns over the outbreak over the COVID-19 virus.

The event, scheduled for April 4, now becomes the second race to be halted after the Sanya E-Prix in China was also officially postponed earlier this year.

A statement issued by Formula E said:

As a consequence of the ongoing health emergency in Italy and according to the provisions set out in the ministerial decree concerning measures to counteract and contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country – which includes sporting events with large crowds and spectators in close proximity – it will no longer be possible to stage the Rome E-Prix on April 4, 2020.

“Formula E, in agreement with the relevant authorities in Rome, EUR S.p.A and together with the FIA and Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI), will continue to work closely with championship partners and stakeholders in order to assess and review alternative options to postpone the Rome E-Prix to a later date once restrictions have been lifted.

“All ticket holders will be contacted through the appropriate channels in the coming days.”

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THE MARRAKESH E-PRIX

After the highs and lows of Mexico City, Formula E is back in action this coming weekend with the Marrakesh E-Prix. Despite being a replacement for the postponed Hong Kong E-Prix, the event is nonetheless a firm favourite with teams and drivers alike, and this Saturday marks the fourth consecutive time it’s been held since the inaugural event in season three alongside the COP22 climate summit.

As the only Formula E event in Africa (so far), the calendar addition adds yet another continent to Formula E’s global passport and takes place at the semi-permanent 2.97km Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan – named after the Crown Prince of Morocco and situated just a few minutes from the world-famous souks.

Although not Morocco’s capital city (that’s Rabat), or its largest metropolis (that’s Casablanca), Marrakesh triumphs over other Moroccan cities as the unofficial cultural centre thanks to its vast and colourful medina, cuisine, landscape and luxurious palm tree-lined resorts (interesting fact, it’s actually illegal to cut down palm trees in Marrakesh due to a law that prohibits buildings being built taller than them and an appetite for regulators to fell them in an effort to get round this!)

Palm trees aside, the event always promises plenty of action but here’s what you need to look out for this Saturday…

EFFICIENCY WILL RULE THE ROOST
Like Mexico City, the Marrakesh circuit bears close resemblance to a traditional racing circuit and therefore a smooth, clean lap is going to be as vital as ever. It’s very easy for it to be ‘over driven’ so it should suit drivers with a smoother style, coupled with those who are able to master the energy saving needed.

FREE PRACTICE WAS ON FRIDAY
‘So what?’ we here you say. Well, this is actually a big deal. Unlike previous Formula E races, a change in the schedule means that FP1 has been brought forward. So, unlike previous races where drivers and teams just get three laps at 110kW power during shakedown to analysis before race day, they’ll now get a whole session of lovely data…and all night to ponder over it. This will massively help race set-up and performance come Saturday.

DUST BUSTERS
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that there is a lot of sand in Marrakesh and that sand often settles on the track. Previous races have seen drivers getting out of shape because of it and going offline can result in serious consequences. As always, this will prove crucial in qualifying and those in group one (including Sam Bird), will find it tougher as they become glorified track sweepers for the other drivers. Remember, there’s no support race series either in Marrakesh so no other cars on track beforehand to help clear it. As such, expect a ‘race’ to cross the line last in each qualifying group.

SUNNY DELIGHT
Ok, so it’s fairly obvious that as well as sand, Marrakesh has plenty of sun…more than 3,000 hours of sunlight a year to be more accurate. But with this comes temperature changes throughout the weekend with the midday sun in contrast to the colder mornings. This will create challenges from start to finish for teams and drivers as they battle getting tyres up to temperature, whilst also worrying about overheated batteries later in the day.

Coincidentally, Morocco is also home to the world’s largest concentrated solar farm, located in Ouarzazate (interestingly where they filmed parts of the movie Gladiator). Stretching more than 3,000 hectares in area, the farm is capable of powering more than one million homes.

SAM BIRD FLIES AT THIS TRACK
Excuse the shameful pun, but it’s true. The 33-year-old has never not started on the front row and has never not scored a podium here in three events. That’s an impressive record! Ok, so there’s no guarantees in Formula E but these are 12 turns the Briton enjoys so expect big things…

Click here to see how you can tune in for the Marrakesh E-Prix on Saturday 29^th February.

MARRAKESH E-PRIX TO BE SHOWN LIVE ON BBC2

After just a weekend away from racing, we return for the fifth round of Formula E in Marrakesh and here’s how Envision Virgin Racing fans can catch all the action!

Held in Marrakesh, this Saturday (29 February) fans will see the all-electric cars take to the streets of the Moroccan city for a fourth consecutive season. The race starts at 3pm local time but to make that easier for fans across the world here’s what time it starts in your home city.

When it comes how to watch the race, British fans can catch all the action live on BBC2 from 13:30, for all other broadcast options visit the Formula E website here.

With 24 world class drivers, the race promises to be a fantastic event – so be sure to tune in!

And don’t forget to vote for Envision Virgin Racing drivers Sam Bird and Robin Frijns on FanBoost here

SAM BIRD MEETS UFC LEGEND DAN HARDY

Envision Virgin Racing welcomed Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Dan ‘The Outlaw’ Hardy at the team’s Silverstone headquarters to meet British racing driver Sam Bird and complete a ‘job swap’ for the day.

The pair started with an introduction to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) from Hardy, where Bird gained an understanding of the disciplines – both mental and physical – required to become a professional athlete in UFC. With the Formula E Gen2 cars as their backdrop, the duo completed a sparring session which introduced Bird to a variety of techniques used by the fighters.

Explaining more of the technology and innovation involved in Formula E, Bird showed Hardy the Gen2 car up-close. The Race Against Climate Change is the core purpose of the independent team and Bird explained how the team are going above and beyond to be the greenest team on the grid.

Moving to the team’s start-of-the-art simulator, Hardy had the opportunity to jump into the driving seat and test his skills on the Berlin E-Prix track. Coached by Bird, the MMA fighter took to the circuit apprehensively but quickly picked up a variety of techniques from the experienced Formula E driver and continued to drop his lap time.

Sam Bird said,

It was great to welcome Dan to the workshop, I learnt a lot about UFC and hopefully can incorporate some of the sparring techniques into my everyday workouts. Getting him into the simulator was amazing – it’s safe to say that we’ve got very different body types. We both discussed how both the mental and physical aspects of both of our careers are very similar, but I think we’ll both be sticking to our day jobs!

“CHAMPIONSHIP STILL OPEN TO ANYONE” SAYS SYLVAIN FILIPPI

Following a difficult Mexico City E-Prix for both Envision Virgin Racing drivers, the team are looking to capitalise at the Marrakesh circuit where they’ve had favourable results previously – notably the team’s first double-podium last season.

Held at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, the race marks the team’s fourth consecutive return to the city’s Agdal district. The 2.97km temporary street circuit – named after the Crown Prince of Morocco – is located just a few minutes from the medina and world-famous souks.

Sylvain Filippi, Envision Virgin Racing’s Managing Director, said:

We started the season on such a high – with Sam’s race win – that the last few races have been disappointing to say the least – to come away with no points, was extremely tough. We know as a team that we’ve got a competitive package with the Audi Sport car and the pace has been there in every race so I’m positive that we can bounce back from this. The championship is still open to anyone and we know we perform well at this track but we need to start scoring points consistently.

Sam Bird said: “I was disappointed with last weekend’s result – whilst the track conditions were not ideal, I can only blame myself in this instance. However, I have picked myself back up and look forward to fighting back in Marrakesh. The team have been a great support and given this is a track where we have previously performed, I relish the opportunity to get back out and race there again. There has been a lot of work put in on the simulator – as we know energy saving will be massively important at this circuit – and we’re ready to hit the track. The race is also being shown live on BBC2 in the UK so hopefully we’ll have a great result to show the British public!”

Dutch team-mate Robin Frijns, who was cruelly taken out of the last race, added: “Luck just hasn’t been on my side so far this season and it’s incredibly frustrating but there’s nothing you can do except look forward. Marrakesh has always been a good track for the team and the double-podium here last time out was special so we’ll be looking to do something similar again this time. We really need a decent points haul at this race to ensure that we stay at the top of the field when it comes to the championship and we’ve put in the effort as a team, with such a short turnaround, to be able to deliver that.”

The Formula E Marrakesh E-Prix takes place on Saturday, 29 February and will be broadcast live on BBC2 in the UK from 13:30, with Sam Bird featuring in the pre-race build-up. The race will be followed by a rookie test, on Sunday, with Nick Cassidy and Alice Powell driving for the Envision Virgin Racing Formula E Team.