Mercedes-Benz Concludes First Tests Of Silver Arrow 01 Formula E Racer

Mercedes-Benz recently completed the first testing session for its EQ Silver Arrow 01 Formula E racer.

The German car manufacturer concluded the first shakedown of the car in late March and ,earlier this week, headed to the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti circuit near Varano, Italy to put the it through its paces with drivers Gary Paffett and Stoffel Vandoorne.

In total, the Silver Arrow 01 completed 218 laps over the course of two days. Mercedes-Benz is readying the racer for the sixth season of the Formula E championship set to kick off on November 22 in Saudi Arabia.

“At Varano, we completed our second set of tests in preparation for season six,” Mercedes-Benz Formula E managing director Ian James said. “All in all, it has been two very positive days of testing, during which we were able to put the new power unit in the car through its paces. But we also saw that there is still a lot to do so that we arrive well prepared for the first race in November.”

Also Read: Porsche, Mercedes Confirmed For Formula E Next Season

Ex-F1 driver Vandoorne added to James’ comments, saying that his first impressions behind the wheel of the Silver Arrow 01 were positive.

“It’s been good to track the evolution of our powertrain since the shakedown I drove in some time ago. This is all part of our long journey. There is still a lot of work ahead of us, and everyone is aware of that. But I would say that the first impressions are very good. The basics are right and everything seems to be working well. That’s what matters at this point. It has been a positive start.”

The 2019-2020 Formula E World Championship is shaping up to be one of the most significant in the history of the series. Mercedes-Benz is not the only newcomer to the series, as Porsche will also compete for the first time, joining DS Automobiles, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Nissan, Mahindra and NIO.