How Mercedes began its Formula E swansong in swaggering style

As the laps ticked down in the second Diriyah E-Prix, Nyck de Vries looked set to complete the perfect start to his Formula E title defence with two wins on the bounce. Although he fell away, the Mercedes-powered Venturi of Edoardo Mortara picked up the pieces to underline the potency of the three-pointed star's powertrain

Jake Boxall-Legge Jan 31, 2022, 12:02 PM

Upd: Feb 1, 2022, 8:25 AM

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There was something quite poetic about the Diriyah circuit having to be quite literally dusted off as Formula E’s eighth season began in earnest. Desert sands and the seemingly never-ending backdrop of construction work had sprinkled a layer of dirt atop the track, depriving the drivers of grip during the early part of the season-opening weekend.

Unsurprisingly, the dustiness – and perhaps rustiness - claimed an early victim: the prized scalp of the reigning champion. Nyck de Vries made a somewhat inauspicious start to his title defence, slipping at Turn 3 at the start of the opening practice session to catch his left-rear corner against the wall. A vital 30 minutes of running was snatched away by the sands of time.

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Author Jake Boxall-Legge

Jake studied engineering at university, as his original ambition was to design racing cars. He was bad at that, and thus decided to write about them instead with an equally limited skillset. The above article is a demonstration of that. In his spare time, Jake enjoys people, places, and things.