Both Robin Frijns and Nico Mueller are ready to tackle this weekend’s Rome E-Prix, and are hoping their experience at the 3.385km venue will help them get a decent result for the team. Frijns and Mueller have returned from a World Endurance Event in Monza last weekend, before doing sim work at the factory in Kempten, and are prepared for another Italian Job.
“Challenge – this word best describes the track in Rome,” Mueller said before taking to the Rome street circuit. Saturday’s race will be the seventh time the championship has visited the track in nine seasons and it is still as popular as ever.
“I know the circuit from the past and find it absolutely spectacular, a true Formula E track. But that also means it is absolutely unforgiving of mistakes. It’s all about settling in quickly and staying absolutely error-free.”
Mueller had an abrupt end to the last race in Portland. His ABT CUPRA crashed at high speed after a stray wing became trapped underneath his car, a shunt that was recorded as 27G on his telemetry.
On the other side of the garage this weekend is Robin Frijns, who has achieved two podiums here in the past. The Dutchman managed to secure a second and third place over the double header event last season and will be looking to replicate his success with his new team for Season 9.
“The track is definitely one of the highlights on the calendar,” Frijns says. “There are extremely fast sections, some overtaking opportunities, a jump and, because of the altitude differences, compression on braking – there will be lots of spectacular pictures.”
Team boss, Thomas Biermaier, has high hopes for both of his drivers in Italy and the finale in London later this month: “Rome and London are two classic street circuits at the end of the season, for which Formula E is so famous.
“We have recently shown in all sessions that we have caught up with the midfield. Now we also need to force the necessary race luck to turn performance into visible results. Rome is technically demanding, so it’s a so-called drivers’ track – so it’s just the right thing for Robin and Nico, who have often shown their class.”