Track facts and key factors: BMW i Andretti Motorsport ahead of the Rome E-Prix.
Munich. After the challenging season-opener in Diriyah (KSA), the BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team is on a mission to make amends at the two Rome E-Prix (ITA) races next weekend. The second double-header in season 7 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship takes place on the longest circuit yet seen in Formula E. BMW Group as ‘Official Vehicle Partner’ is introducing a new safety car in Rome. The Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW will take turns with the BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car to lead the field during the season. In our preview, we provide you with the crucial facts and key figures for a successful Rome E-Prix.
You can find detailed information about the new FIA Formula E Safety Car in our Media Guide: https://b.mw/Formula_E_Media_Guide. It also provides detailed information on the technology behind the BMW i drivetrain and the BMW iFE.21, as well as background stories on the technology transfer between motor racing and production development, the BMW i Andretti Motorsport Team and the drivers. It is updated with facts and figures on the respective event after each race weekend.
| TRACK FACTS ROME. | |
| Circuit length | 3.380 km, counter-clockwise – longest circuit in the history of Formula E. |
| Corners | 19 – of which 11 are left turns, eight are right turns. |
| Track surface | Very uneven in the past, exact properties of new track sections are still unknown. |
| Grip level | Probably low to start with but should improve gradually throughout the weekend. Different start times on Saturday (16:00) and Sunday (13:00) could lead to changes in grip level. |
| Track layout | Technically very challenging. Typical street circuit layout with plenty of 90 degree corners and short straights. Overtaking is difficult. Section between T4 and T17 is new. Relatively large differences in altitude, meaning sections with climbs and descents. |
| Attack zone | On the outside of T15. Probably leading to loss of time and position. |
| Pit lane | Unique layout. Long distances mean significant time loss with drive-through penalties. |
| Accident risk | Relatively high due to technically challenging nature and wall boundaries. No room for error. |
| Key factors | Good mechanical grip on the bumps, good qualifying, solid and predictable car setup. |
Quotes ahead of the Rome E-Prix:
Roger Griffiths (Team Principal BMW i Andretti Motorsport):
“It’s hard to believe that it was two years since we last raced in Rome. While Jake Dennis has never seen the track before, with much of the track being new, any disadvantage will be minimised compared to his competitors. For Maximillian Günther, the last time he raced here, he had in a strong qualifying performance and should have good memories. While we had some significant disappointments in the first two rounds, we as a team look forward to making up on lost ground to the opposition. I feel that we have made good progress in working out why we did not perform as expected in Diriyah and hope to see a strong turnaround in Rome.”
Jake Dennis (#27 BMW iFE.21):
“The races in Rome are some of the most exciting ones in the whole season. I love the city, so I am looking forward even more to competing there in Formula E as well. The new circuit is very technical and extremely long. That will be a new challenge for all of us.”
Maximilian Günther (#28 BMW iFE.21):
“Rome is always something special in Formula E. We are already very excited about the new layout, the longest on the race schedule. After a few laps in the simulator, I think that the circuit offers everything that you need to have a lot of fun behind the wheel, and good racing action. We could have not have prepared any better and we are approaching the Rome double-header with great team spirit.”
The FANBOOST vote.
FANBOOST gives Formula E fans the opportunity to vote for their favourite driver and award them an extra boost of power during the race. The five drivers with the most FANBOOST votes receive an extra 100 kJ of power, which they can make use of during a brief time frame in the second half of the race. Fans can vote for their favourite driver in the four days prior to, and leading up to 15 minutes into, each race. Each fan can vote once per day. There are two ways to vote: Online at https://fanboost.fiaformulae.com/ or via the official Formula E App
The BMW Group Safety Cars.
The BMW Group has been represented in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship as ‘Official Vehicle Partner’ since the very beginning and will continue to provide the fleet of safety cars for season 7 of the fully-electric racing series. Alongside the BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car (fuel consumption (combined): 2.0 l /100 km; energy use (combined): 14.5 kWh /100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 46 g/km)*, which has been modified specially for racing use, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW will be appearing as a new safety car from the Rome E-Prix onwards. The development of the car based on the new MINI Cooper SE represents a hitherto unique collaboration between MINI Design, BMW Motorsport, the FIA and Formula E. The fleet also includes the BMW i3s (Power consumption in kWh/100: 14.6-14.0 (NEDC); 16.6-16.3 (WLTP), electric range in km: 278-283 (WLTP))* as ‘Race Director Car’ and the BMW iX3 (Power consumption in kWh/100: 17.8-17.5 (NEDC); 19.0-18.6 (WLTP), electric range in km: 450-458 (WLTP))* in its roles as ‘Medical Car’ and ‘Rescue Car’.
