Mercedes' Formula E car makes track debut

Mercedes’ first-ever FIA Formula E Championship car has had its first track outing ahead of the team’s entry into the all-electric series next season. 

HWA’s Stoffel Vandoorne and Venturi driver Edoardo Mortara completed 527km of running between them behind the wheel of the new Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow 01 over the course of a three-day shakedown test at Varano in Italy.  

Having dominated F1 across the V6 hybrid era and ended its DTM programme at the end of 2018, Mercedes will branch out its racing portfolio on the Formula E grid later this year for the 2019-20 campaign, joining fellow manufacturer Porsche. 

"When a new racing car comes to life for the first time and goes out onto the track, that's always a very special moment," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. 

"Not only have we reached an important milestone for our as yet young team, but we have also laid a solid foundation for further development. 

“But there is still a lot of work to do before our race debut when the next season starts towards the end of this year.”

Mercedes is yet to announce its driver line-up for its inaugural Formula E season, though it boasts an array of experienced options within its driver pool, including the likes of Vandoorne, Mortara and Gary Paffett. 

Mercedes Formula E managing director, Ian James, added: “We are very pleased with the progress made during our first test with the new car.

"The first days of testing at Varano were a very important step in the development of our team. 

“We brought together experts from our different sites at Affalterbach, Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart, and at the end of a successful three days, they left as members of a team - it was the birth of the Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team. 

“In the coming weeks and months, many more milestones will follow on the way to our first race."