The debut of Formula E in the state of Oregon in the northwest of the USA also marks the start of the final spurt of the current world championship season: after Portland, double headers in Rome and London will follow, and then the champions of the ninth season will be decided. For ABT CUPRA it is now a matter of confirming the recent consistently strong performances and scoring the next points with Robin Frijns and Nico Müller. Most recently in Jakarta, both drivers were mostly consistent in the midfield both in qualifying and in the races.
The USA – with an interruption during the pandemic – has been part of the Formula E calendar since the first season. ABT has many memories associated with the races in North America: In March 2014, Daniel Abt took his first of a total of ten podium finishes at the series’ unforgettable event in Miami, and just three weeks later he took pole position for the first time in Long Beach. In the second season, Abt celebrated together with his teammate Lucas di Grassi on the podium outside Los Angeles. And in the fourth season, the German-Brazilian duo clinched the team championship against the backdrop of Manhattan in New York after a sensational recovery.
Portland is the largest city in Oregon and is located on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers against the backdrop of snow-capped Mount Hood. The city is known for its parks, bike trails as well as its environmental friendliness. The 3.221-kilometre course is based on the classic IndyCar track, which will be modified for Formula E. The race starts at 5 p.m. local time (2 a.m. CEST on Sunday morning) and runs over 28 laps. A list of all international broadcasters is available at fiaformulae.com.
Nico Müller: “Exciting new territory”
“Portland is new Formula E territory for all the drivers and therefore super exciting,” says Nico Müller, who, like his teammate Robin Frijns, competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans after Jakarta. “The track looks very fluid. I think we’ll see a lot of slipstream duels and position changes.” After temporary street circuits, it’s now onto a permanent racetrack. “It’s unusual for all of us that the walls are not right on the track and you might be able to use some curbs.”
Robin Frijns: “Teamwork is our great strength”
“It’s always exciting when everyone arrives with a blank sheet of paper and only knows the track from the simulator,” says Robin Frijns. “It’s all about being on the track as much as possible in practice and at the same time preparing as best as possible for qualifying and the race in the short time available. That’s where perfect teamwork comes in – and that’s one of our greatest strengths in our difficult comeback season.”
Thomas Biermaier: “Want to confirm good performances”
“We have already experienced some memorable Formula E weekends in the USA and also many special moments in our team – these are great memories that show us again and again how much passion and emotion there is in Formula E,” says ABT CEO and Team Principal Thomas Biermaier, who refers to the changed situation this season. “At the time, we were fighting for victories and titles in the USA. Now it is first of all a matter of confirming our recent good performances and trying to finish in the points again under our own steam. The whole team is working hard and focused, not letting themselves get rattled and fighting their way back into Formula E step by step."
