As the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins the second half of its most competitive and record-breaking season yet on the track, Formula E and global title partner ABB today announced the ABB Driver of Progress award to honour the extraordinary, intelligent and efficient driving on display in the series.
The ABB Driver of Progress award will recognise the driver who successfully balances the demands between pace, overtaking and energy efficiency to ultimately make up the most positions in a race. A league table recording the positions gained by every driver will be revealed immediately after each of the eight remaining races. The driver finishing the season with the most positions gained across all 16 races will be named the ABB Driver of Progress for Season 9.
Going into Round 9 and the Monaco E-Prix at the spiritual home of world motorsport this Saturday (6 May), André Lotterer (Avalanche Andretti Formula E team) tops the ABB Driver of Progress table with 46 positions gained in eight races to date, ahead of the current leader of the Drivers’ world championship standings, Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) on 43 positions gained.
The new award will spotlight Formula E drivers who demonstrate the highest degree of skill and efficiency, regardless of starting position on the grid or where they finish on the podium and is sure to reveal powerful examples of outstanding competitive driving performance.
Already this season, fans have seen most of Formula E’s on-track records shattered including the most overtakes in a race (190), lead changes at the line (20), and different race leaders (eight) all achieved in Round 7 of the SABIC Berlin E-Prix double-header race weekend.
The fastest-ever lap in the series was set in Round 5 at the Cape Town E-Prix. Sacha Fenestraz (Nissan Formula E Team) qualified for pole position with an average speed of 154.987km/h, the fastest lap in Formula E history.
In the next race, the 2023 Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix, Sérgio Sette Câmara (NIO 333 Racing) set the fastest top speed in a Formula E race to-date of 264.1km/h.
The new GEN3 race car, which debuted in the championship this season, has enabled the 23 drivers who have competed in Formula E this season to demonstrate their world-class capabilities in the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built. The GEN3 is also the first formula car specifically designed and optimised for street racing.
Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer, Formula E, said:
“Progressing through the field is not an easy task in Formula E. It requires patience, quick reactions and a crucial ability to balance driving efficiently and carefully to preserve energy while fearlessly challenging to make up places. These are essential skills required to be an effective Formula E driver. The ABB Driver of Progress award will recognise the competitors who proves they lead the way when it comes to Formula E’s unique demand for intelligent, efficient and dynamic driving.”
Daniela Lužanin, Head of the ABB Formula E partnership, said:
“ABB is committed to driving sustainable progress off-track, so it is fitting for ABB, as a global technology leader, to reward drivers making the most progress on-track. This new award furthers ABB’s partnership with Formula E and underlines their shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology to drive progress.
“Mastering energy management and maximising energy efficiency are vital driver skills, particularly when they’re faced with the challenge of progressing through the pack. The same qualities underpin ABB’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future, as seen in ABB Formula E, where ABB Ability™ OPTIMAX® energy management software is helping to deliver more efficient energy use at all E-Prix.”
