Jerome D'Ambrosio and Pascal Wehrlein to represent Mahindra Racing at ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge
The ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge is a virtual fundraising eSports event that has been organised in partnership with UNICEF. The funds collected from this event will be used for upholding the wellbeing and safe health of children around the world. The eight-week long eSports championship will see participation of all the teams and drivers from Formula E. Mahindra Racing has confirmed its participation with its two drivers, Jerome D'Ambrosio and Pascal Wehrlein, who will be battling out with others this weekend on the virtual Hong Kong E-Prix track on Saturday 25 April 2020 from 15:30 BST (8:00PM IST)
The Championship will start with a one-lap qualifying session, which will see participation of four groups, with each group consisting of six drivers - as seen in the Formula E Championship. Further, the points system too will be in the same format as an actual championship race, with extra points for securing pole position and the fastest lap. The race format will see one driver eliminated after every lap until the grid has 10 drivers who will fight it out in a final single-lap sprint.
The Formula E Race at Home Challenge will also offer a platform for gamers to battle it out. The winning gamer will secure actual track time on a Formula E circuit during a race weekend. The Championship will be streamed on Formula E's Facebook, YouTube, Twitch TV and on the official website. The action can also followed on the Jerome's and Pascal's individual Twitch streams. Drivers and gamers will compete on rFactor 2 simulator software in a number of online events taking place over a nine-week period from the safety of their own homes.
Commenting on the championship, Jerome D'Ambrosio, #64, stated, "It will be great to be racing against my Formula E competitors again, and to be helping to raise awareness and funds for UNICEF and the vital work they are doing during this pandemic. We might not be back trackside just yet, but that doesn't mean it's going to be any less competitive on track. It should be a lot of fun for the fans to watch from their homes!"
Pascal Wehrlein, #94 mentioned, "I'm looking forward to being back racing â€" albeit virtually! It's a challenging time for everyone, so I'm pleased that we can be putting on a good show for the fans watching at home as well as the event raising funds for a very worthy cause. It will be great for us drivers to be racing regularly again â€" even though it's virtual racing, it will still help keep us sharp for when we go back to real life racing."
 "Mahindra Racing is proud to participate and support the ABB Formula E Race at Home Challenge as it raises funds for the invaluable work that UNICEF is doing. In these unprecedented times, it's important for the motorsport community to come together to support each other and those who are less fortunate, and this series is a fantastic way to do this. We are all missing racing in Formula E, but in the meantime I will be cheering Jerome and Pascal on from home as they fly the Mahindra Racing flag in eSports!" commented, CEO and Principal, Dilbagh Gill.ÂÂ