Formula E kicks off Season Friday, DS Techeetah tries for four-peat

Formula E kicks off Season Friday, DS Techeetah tries for four-peat
2019 champion Jean Eric-Vergne practices in his DS Techeetah car. Photo Courtesy DS Automobiles Techeetah

We’re still settling in to the first part of the 2021 racing season.

We had the kickoff events. We saw battles with rain through most of them. Some even got canceled already in the sprint car world.

Although, there’s still some unique forms of racing to be seen and part of the briskness of the early part of the schedule gives us a chance to take it in.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend Formula E to y’all.

The all-electric tour is entering its seventh season of operation this Friday with a weekend double header in Saudi Arabia at one of the most technical tracks on the circuit.

With all the talk recently about certain companies making the move to selling electric cars exclusively, it comes in handy for Formula E to find an easy ‘in’ so early in the schedule.

The tour is home to a plethora of manufacturers alike, but none have seen the success that DS Automobiles has had with Techeetah Racing.

The team is home to the two drivers that have won the past three series championships and will try for four in a row during the 2021 season.

Jean-Éric Vergne was the first two-time champion in the series while António Félix da Costa captured his first title in the pandemic-altered 2020 championship.

Both will don the black and gold colors for DS Techeetah once again, however that’s not to say they are the runaway favorites.

“Yes, it’s kind of the reference right now, because of the championships they’ve won in the last couple of years and the pace they have shown on track,” Mercedes EQ’s Stoffel Vandoorne said on the series’ preview show on CBSSN. “But it’s not only them. There’s a lot of competition as well.”

Series veteran racer Sam Bird agreed with Vandoorne, giving a glowing review of the tour’s roster.

He’s one of four drivers to participate in every Formula E event dating back to its inaugural season seven years ago.

“It’s the most competitive form of motorsport on the planet,” Bird said on the preview show. “There is no weak driver. There is no weak team. That’s why I love this championship.”

Bird has yet to win a series title, but he got his last campaign started off with a win at Diriyah – one of the most technical tracks on the circuit.

He’ll surely be looking for another season opening win this weekend, but there’s even more intrigue in the pair of races going on.

For starters, the series’ events usually don’t last longer than an hour, and a pair of 10:30 a.m. CT start times should separate themselves from the mainstream sports going on around the United States.

Four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti is a commentator on the tour as well and their making history with the doubleheader hosting their first night races ever.

It should be another fun year for Formula E, but while the plate is light for weekend races, give these guys a shot.