Toto Wolff expresses delight with Merc set to start fifth season
Monday 10 October 2016 10:52, UK
Formula 1 champions Mercedes could enter the Formula E series in 2018/19 after taking an option to be one of two new teams.
The group have signed an option to enter the all-electric series for its fifth season. There are currently 10 teams competing in Formula E with that number set to rise to 12 subject to approval of the FIA.
"We have been watching the growth of Formula E with great interest," confirmed Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff.
"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."
The fifth season is set to be a milestone for Formula E with battery development expected to allow drivers to complete races in one car rather than having to switch to a second one mid-race.
Car manufacturers such as Renault, Audi, BMW, and Jaguar and India's Mahindra are all currently involved and set to continue, with the 2016/17 season starting in Hong Kong this weekend.
