Formula E, the International Motorsport Federation’s (FIA) new electric racing series, has announced that its new headquarters and team facilities will be based within the grounds of the Donington Park circuit in the UK.
Construction work on the 44,000ft² bespoke premises began on January 2 and when complete will provide state-of-the-art facilities for each of the 10 Formula E teams, together with offices, stores and workshops for Formula E's own operational staff - totalling more than 150 people. In addition, the teams will use the Donington Park circuit for their testing and development work on the fully-electric Spark-Renault SRT_01E race car.
Alejandro Agag, chief executive of Formula E, said: “We looked at a number of locations around Europe but the British motorsport industry is regarded as the best in the world so it was an easy decision for us to be based in the UK and our new facilities at Donington Park provide the perfect central location for operating the FIA Formula E Championship. Being in the 'Motorsport Valley' also means we can take advantage of the technology and skills all around us, as we have already done through (Formula One teams) McLaren and Williams.”
The announcement comes as a boost to Donington Park, which is located in the English county of Leicestershire. In 2008, the historic circuit was awarded a 17-year contract to host Formula One’s British Grand Prix from 2010 only for the deal to be terminated as financial difficulties placed the facility’s very future in doubt. Christopher Tate, managing director of Donington Park Racing Ltd, said: “Formula E and all its teams committing to this location here at Donington Park, the heart of British motor sport, is a critical forward leap for this company, for this wonderful race track, and for our region. Already there are dozens of civil engineers and technicians at work on the construction project. From May, around 150 highly technical racing engineers will be preparing and testing their all-new Formula E electric cars here. Three years after this company took over the estate; this is a major landmark moment for Donington Park.”
Beginning this September in Beijing, Formula E will compete across 10 of the world's major cities including London, Miami and Rio de Janeiro.
Source: Sportbusiness
