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After tasting success in Season 1 and 2, Formula E’s 2016/17 campaign signalled a brief halt to our hunt for silverware.
As we kick-started Season 4, however, new signing Edoardo Mortara hit the ground running when the competition commenced in Hong Kong.
With distinguished success on street circuits, Edo’s pace was phenomenal from the outset and in the second leg of the season-opener, came close to landing his dream debut.
Leading for the majority of the race, Edo only marginally missed out on victory – a late spin meaning he lost the lead to Daniel Abt.
Taking the chequered flag in P3, Edo was promoted to P2 when Abt was disqualified from the end result, equalling our best result in Formula E at that time.
As Season 4 edged closer to its conclusion, we continued to prepare for the impending 2018/19 campaign here at Venturi, strengthening the team for Formula E’s next generation.
Welcoming Susie Wolff to our Monaco base as Team Principal, she quickly started learning the ropes at the penultimate race of the year in New York, getting ready for the next competition ahead.
Holding a strong vision for the future, Susie’s arrival signalled the next step in our push further up the field.
Finding strong form at the start of Season 5, we commenced a consistent run of silverware-worthy performances from Mexico City – the fourth race of the 2018/19 campaign.
In qualifying, Venturi new boy Felipe Massa secured P3 on the grid while Edo landed P9 and from there, the fightback was on.
Capitalising on a chaotic start, Edo moved into P6 and fortune continued to favour the Swiss-Italian, next clearing Nissan e.dams team-mates Sebastien Buemi and Oliver Rowland en route to P4.
As the battle for victory intensified in the closing laps, Edo was in a prime position to capitalise.
Running out of usable energy, race leader Pascal Wehrlein slowed dramatically in the final meters, handing Lucas di Grassi victory while a subsequent time penalty for the German propelled Edo to a memorable podium finish.
Returning to the Central Harbourfront Circuit – a venue we have traditionally performed well at – we were ready to do battle with unfinished business in Hong Kong.
Demonstrating strong pace throughout practice, Edo qualified in P6 for the race and from there launched his offensive.
Overtaking Rowland, Gary Paffett and Stoffel Vandoorne in quick succession, Edo ensured that silverware was on the cards, now running in P3 and closing in on the battle for the lead.
When Andre Lotterer and Sam Bird came to blows at the front with only a handful of laps remaining, the game was changed completely.
Inheriting P2 as Lotterer slowed, a post-race penalty for Bird paved the path to our maiden victory – a fitting result at Formula E’s landmark 50th race.
As we continued to build on our form from Mexico and Hong Kong, Felipe secured success at the most fitting race on the Season 6 calendar – our home race in Monaco.
Qualifying in P4, Felipe was placed perfectly to challenge for the podium and advanced to P3 when second-placed runner Pascal Wehrlein locked up into Turn 1 ahead.
Fending off the fellow Formula E rookie in a nail-biting scrap to the chequered flag, Felipe stood on the Formula E rostrum for the first time in an emotional moment for us here at Venturi – the team a picture of pride during the podium celebrations.
As we concluded Season 5 with our best performance to date, we entered an exciting new chapter at the start of the 2019/20 campaign by partnering with Mercedez-Benz.
Utilising the German marque’s powertrain, we blended Mercedes’ World Championship- winning precision and reliability with our expertise in innovation, creating a powerful partnership by doing so.
As one of only three teams on the Season 6 grid to take points in every race thus far, our collaboration with Mercedes continues to produce results and we look forward to extending this when the season resumes.
As we geared up for the start of a new season following a positive pre-season testing window, we joined forces with ROKiT to enter the next chapter of our Formula E journey.
Linking-up with the global telco innovators in a long-term arrangement, we both hold the same visionary stance and as the present competition continues, we look forward to tasting success hand-in-hand.
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