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“I have a lot of experience in motorsport, but Formula E is different – it’s the most difficult championship you can race in. It’s never boring!"
Baptism of fire
TAG Heuer Porsche’s Andre Lotterer is a sportscar racing hero and endurance racing champion. The German counts three victories at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans to his name and the World Endurance Championship Drivers’ title.
Despite his vast experience, including plenty in single-seaters - a year as Jaguar’s test driver in Formula 1 as well as a decade in Japanese Super Formula, capped off by the 2011 title - his jump back into the format required something of a reset for the 38-year-old.
Lotterer’s debut year in Formula E with DS Techeetah, 2017/18, is charted in “And We Go Green” – the feature-length documentary chronicling the championship’s journey to becoming the world’s fastest-growing motorsport series.
“Formula E is unpredictable. That’s something you learn pretty quickly,” he said. “My first race was shocking. I caused a load of drama.
“I have a lot of experience in motorsport, but Formula E is different – it’s the most difficult championship you can race in. It’s never boring!
“The tracks are very, very narrow and it’s easy to make mistakes. We have all weather tyres, and we all have the same base car. So, performance of each is very close and all of the drivers are operating on a high level.
“On top of that, we have to manage energy. In qualifying laps, we are flat out. In races, we have to carefully decide how to best use our energy.
“It’s not like some other championships where only the best team and car will win. Here, the drivers’ input is huge and I think that’s what makes the show. We’re always having to calculate risk, too. Overtaking requires a bit of a leap on the city circuits. Nothing is a giveaway.”
Followed by Fisher
Lotterer clearly enjoyed the filming process, with directors Fisher Stevens and Malcolm Venville teaming up alongside producer Leonardo DiCaprio to steer the making of the documentary.
Stevens and Venville have been credited by the featured drivers, including Lucas Di Grassi (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler) and Sam Bird (Envision Virgin Racing), as well as Lotterer himself, with dragging the real people out from under their crash helmets.
“The film gives you an insight and follows us as characters very closely,” he said. “We might have the same profession but we’re all very different and we approach our work in a contrasting way.
“You see that we’re together, though. We’re racing for the future and we go to major cities worldwide to race electric cars and show everybody what they’re capable of. We’re representing electric mobility and with it, a cleaner future.
“Actually, most of the time you forgot that they were filming! So, when they needed us to offer our thoughts it was welcome. I really enjoyed that aspect of it.
“It was an opportunity for us to blow off some steam, share what was happening if things were dramatic, we were happy, disappointed or whatever else.
“Quite often, I was with JEV (Jean-Eric Vergne), my team-mate when it was filmed, so you get to see how that relationship worked.”
Porsche return
Lotterer’s first two seasons were special ones with DS Techeetah, with his first trip to the rostrum an enduring memory. When TAG Heuer Porsche came calling, though, the German found it difficult to say no.
“I did two seasons with Techeetah, and we won the Teams’ title in Season 5, with JEV winning his second championship as a driver. That was a big success story for us.
“Santiago is my favourite moment to date. It was my first podium and I shared the podium with JEV.
“It was super dramatic because I tried to overtake him and I couldn’t avoid hitting the back of his car! It was quite a race and the celebrations with the team and crew were really special to see.
"Moving teams was not an easy decision, but racing for Porsche again was something I couldn’t miss out on. It was a big challenge to get involved with."
“Now, I’m at Porsche who I’ve raced with before at Le Mans. Their motorsport heritage is huge and they’re a major manufacturer.
“The fact they’ve joined Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, DS and more shows how important Formula E is.
“Moving teams was not an easy decision, but racing for Porsche again was something I couldn’t miss out on. It was a big challenge to get involved with.
“We were a new team running in a championship where everyone has experience, but I think we’ve shown very good potential so far, with second place in our first race and fourth overall in our first season.
“I’m ambitious and confident about what we can go on to achieve.”
Incubating tech
Formula E has acted as a testbed and development platform for industry-leading battery-electric vehicle technology since its inception.
Major automotive manufacturers utilise the series' pressure-cooker competitiveness as an incubator – a means of advancing their road-going technology, through sporting performance, at an accelerated rate.
Lotterer feels the attention to detail required to win on-track is key to pushing electric vehicles forward.
“From Season 1 to Season 4, two cars did the whole race,” said the German. “That was a real adventure because we had to jump from one to the other.
“I’m pretty tall, so it wasn’t easy! I had to stay late in the paddock to practice and do it quickly, whilst everyone else was back at the hotel. So, Gen2 was really pleasing for me!
"As motorsport teams, we have the responsibility, with our leading engineers, to seek further efficiency and more performance."
“It was a huge technological step forward with the new car and battery offering a lot more capacity, meaning we could do a single race in one go.
"I love the design, too. It really represents Formula E – dynamic and futuristic. It’s one of a kind, really.
“The technology has moved forward incredibly quickly, and it never stops.
"As motorsport teams, we have the responsibility, with our leading engineers, to always seek further efficiency and more performance.
“We really push the boundaries within the rules, trying to find every little detail and make a better car for tomorrow.
“Since the beginning, racing has always been a proving ground for car manufacturers and with electric technology. We’re now driving things forward and trying to achieve more with less. I think everybody’s looking for the same with their cars on the road as well.
“Formula E is leading technology. I feel it's really inspiring.”