Following a successful testing day in Ad Diriyah after last month’s season opener, in which Virgin Racing drivers Robin Frijns and Sam Bird topped the timing boards in respective sessions, the pair are positive about their return to Marrakesh for the next Formula E race, taking place on January 12.
Held at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, the race marks the team’s third return to the city’s Agdal district. The track – named after the Crown Prince of Morocco – is located just a few minutes from the medina and world-famous souks.
Bird, who celebrates his 32nd birthday a few days before the race, has finished on the podium on both previous occasions and will be aiming to add to his impressive career tally.
Meanwhile, team-mate Frijns, will be keen to show the full potential of the Audi e-tron FE05 having topped the timings during the morning session of the Ad Diriyah test last month. Competing in his first full season with the team, having raced for another outfit previously, the Dutchman is returning to the 2.97km, 12-turn temporary street circuit for the second time.
Bird said:
“Last year I was on the podium in Marrakesh and I’d really like to be up there again this year. We proved in the race in Ad Diriyah that we had the pace and as a team we can gain a huge amount of confidence from the performance we showed during the test day which followed. Both Robin and I have been working hard at the simulator to ensure we are prepared for the upcoming race, where we believe our true potential will begin to show.”
Frijns said:
“The team gained a huge amount of invaluable data during the first round of the season, which is important for us given our limited pre-season testing. We have a competitive car and, combined with the hard work the team have put in, we’re in a good position heading into the Marrakesh weekend.”
Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer at Envision Virgin Racing, added:
“We’re feeling positive for the New Year. Our recent performance in Ad Diriyah – in which the team made up 16-places from the back of the grid – shows the potential of the team and we believe we’re in a strong position heading into Marrakesh. We showed last time out we have a quick car and two very capable drivers, and we’re now looking to build on that momentum.”
Great way to kick off 2019. Joining @EnvisionVirgin for the @FIAFormulaE Test in Marrakech. Thank you for the opportunity! pic.twitter.com/A1HXWdqqWs
— Nyck de Vries (@nyckdevries) January 7, 2019
