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This weekend will see Gary Paffett contest the seventh round of this season's ABB FIA Formula E Championship at the GEOX Rome E-Prix as the series enters the second half of the season, with the championship commencing into the ‘European Leg’ of the season, starting with this weekend's race in the Italian capital.
Reaching the halfway mark of his debut campaign in the all-electric series, Gary’s season has seen the HWA RACELAB driver gain his first points of the championship with an impressive performance in Hong Kong. However, his last outing saw the SAP-sponsored driver forced to retire with a drive shaft issue in China at the Sanya E-Prix.
The HWA RACELAB team have used the three-week break in the series to perform plenty of detailed analysis on their VFE05 cars. The data gathered along with the new findings have allowed the team to prepare meticulously for the second half of the season, which kicks off this coming weekend.
Improving the consistency of the car will be the aim for Paffett and the HWA RACELAB team on the streets of Rome. This will be a tough task for the team as the 2.84-kilometre track at Circuito Cittadino dell’ EUR is regarded as being one of the most challenging on the Formula E circuit, thanks to its narrow layout, 21 corners, uneven surface and big changes in elevation.
Excited to resume his debut campaign in Formula E, Gary hopes to bounce back from the team’s disappointment in China when they race this weekend in Rome.
“We have had mixed feelings recently. After a very good weekend in Hong Kong, we endured a tough race day in Sanya. Despite this, the signs are still there that we are making progress. It is now important to get everything sorted and start to consistently score points. I am really looking forward to racing in European cities - closer to home."
HWA Team Principal, Ulrich Fritz, is also hoping to see an upturn in fortune for the HWA team in the Italian capital this weekend.
"The season has been something of a rollercoaster ride for us so far. A lot has been very good, but we have also suffered some bitter setbacks, as we did last time out. The European leg of the season gets underway with the race in Rome. We have set ourselves the goal of continuing to improve our consistency. If we have a weekend without any issues, we are capable of finishing in the top ten."
Action in Rome will begin for Gary on Saturday 13th April, with free practice at 06:30 (BST), followed by qualifying at 10:45, with the race scheduled for later on in the day at 15:00.