Mercedes-Benz has announced the signing of an option agreement which will allow it to enter the 2018-2019 Formula E Championship.
The deal will provide the German marque with the option of entering season 5 of the all-electric open-wheeled racing championship by making it one of a maximum 12 entries permitted, up from the current 10 teams.
Mercedes-Benz is interested in competing in season 5 of Formula E as it will be the first season where drivers have a single car for the whole race, rather than having to swap cars half way through the event. This will also be the first season that McLaren Applied Technologies will serve as the sole battery supplier for the racing series.
Entering Formula E will also help the marque accelerate the development of its electric technologies as it pushes forward in launching its range of all-electric vehicles for the street.
According to Toto Wolff, “We have been watching the growth of Formula E with great interest. At the current time, we are looking at all the options available in the future of motor racing, and we are very pleased with an agreement that secures us an opportunity to enter the series in Season 5. Electrification will play a major role in the future of the automotive industry. Racing has always been a technology R&D platform for industry and this will make Formula E very relevant in the future.”
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