British racer Sam Bird closed in on the championship lead with victory in the Italian capital last time out and now moves to within 18 points heading into the race at the Circuit des Invalides. Likewise, his Virgin Racing team has now moved into second position in the manufacturer standings in what is proving to be its strongest season to date.
With the city’s iconic Eiffel Tower in the background, the 1.920km street track will certainly prove a challenge for both Bird and British team-mate Alex Lynn, with its mix of tight, twisty turns, long straights and numerous overtaking spots; all whilst hitting speeds in excess of 200kph.
The Paris event will also be attended by Virgin Founder Sir Richard Branson who, as well as supporting the team throughout the day, will also be a panellist on one of Virgin Racing’s now renowned Innovation Summits. The summit, which will bring industry leaders together to discuss climate action and the need to transition to cleaner energy, will also be live streamed on the team’s and Virgin’s Facebook channels, with further details on this and other speakers released closer to the time.
Bird said: “To be heading into the Paris race on the back of a win is a great feeling and the whole team is looking forward to the event. It’s a challenging track but we know we have a quick, reliable car so if we can hook everything up, there’s no reason why we can’t come away with another strong result.”
Lynn said: “We didn’t have the weekend we wanted last time out but for sure I’m looking forward to the Paris race. It will be another new circuit for me, but preparations have been going well in the simulator and I know we can come out fighting for strong results.”
Team Principal Alex Tai commented: “Paris is set to be a huge event for the team both on and off the track. As well as being the home race for our manufacturing partner DS Automobiles, we will also have Sir Richard Branson in attendance, be hosting an influential Innovation Summit, in additional to making a number of exciting new announcements. Following our victory last time out, everyone in the team is in high spirits and we’re looking forward to maintaining this as we once again fight for the win.”
DS Performance Director Xavier Mestelan Pinon added: “It is very exciting for us to be able to showcase our know-how and technology in the heart of Paris, especially after the victory the team achieved in Rome last week. Although our home race has special significance, our rigorous, determined approach to preparations is the same as for the other rounds. And I can say we are more determined than ever to keep fighting to reach the top of each championship with our DSV-03 Formula E car.”
Extensive free-to-air live coverage of the race will be available across the globe and in the UK via 5Spike. For more information on the team, including high-res images and video content, visit: http://map.ds-virginracing.com/
Formula E Paris E-Prix – Race stats:
Date: Saturday, April 28
Round: 8 of 12
Circuit: Circuit des Invalides
Length: 1,920 km
Number of turns: 14
Direction: Clockwise
Laps: 49
Time difference to UK: 1 hour ahead
Team previous best result: 2nd place, 2017
Event hashtag: #ParisEprix
TV Coverage:
Live on 5Spike from 14:30 UK time
Live on Eurosport from 15:45 CET // 14:45 UK time
Timetable (all times local):
08:00-08:45 Free Practice 1
10:00-11:30 DSVR Innovation Summit
10:30-11:00 Free Practice 2
12:00-12:36 Qualifying
12:45-13:00 Superpole
16:00 Race (49 laps)
Standings:
Drivers’:
1. Jean Eric Vergne, 119pts
2.Sam Bird, 101pts
3. Felix Rosenqvist, 82pts
4. Sebastien Buemi, 60pts
5. Daniel Abt, 50pts
13. Alex Lynn, 17pts
Teams’ standings:
1. Techeetah, 152pts
2. Virgin Racing, 118pts
3. Mahindra Racing, 103pts
4. Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, 89pts
5. Panasonic Jaguar Racing, 88pts