way of things. The biggest cost of racing teams at that level is human cost, and you require highly-skilled people to achieve that. They’re highly technical cars, which don’t come cheap.
How do you see the relationship between Audi and Abt in Formula E developing in coming years?
It’s developing now. We’re pushing towards Season 4, which starts at the end of the year, in November. Then onwards from there, not just with Abt, there’s also the partnership with Schaeffler, a technology partner of Audi in e-mobility.
Between Schaeffler, Audi and Abt there is a very logical fit, partly because the three have worked together in this, but at the same time Abt and Audi worked together for a long time in DTM.
[Audi] had our toe in the water, the name was on the team, but not necessarily with huge support behind it in terms of technology. There’s a little bit of support in Season 3, you have the [Four] Rings on the side of the car. However, in reality we’re looking and focussing more on Season 4, especially as can’t change through very much through the year anyway. So our focus is Season 4, then Season 5 when the new cars come out. I think that’s when all manufacturers will start flexing their muscles.
With so many [seven] OEMs involved, someone has to come last…do you foresee an exodus in a few years?
The way the current regulations are set up, there’s a point that’s quite interesting, namely if [say] Audi comes out with the best motor, then another OEM can buy it for a certain price. It won’t happen, because there’s no way it can [but it will keep up the pressure].
Can you imagine the discussion in the boardroom to approve that one? There’s
not that risk today. If [Formula E] is totally dominated by manufacturers, then, yes, one or two will drop out, no question. Then you’ve got to look at it, in my view with entertainment eyes, and not purist sport eyes or purist technical development eyes, to ensure [the racing is] close enough.
Going back to what I said about privateers at Le Mans: it’s close enough that everybody is in the mix. The way the regulations are at the moment, Lucas di Grassi started on the back row of the [Formula E] grid in Hong Kong, but still finished second…it was good strategy, and also a bit of good fortune because there was a safety car and things.
Through the course of the year it has seen to be mixed up enough so everybody’s got a little piece of the pie, so that at some point everybody goes home with a smile and a trophy to throw on the boardroom table on Monday morning.