F1: Formula E compared to Mario Kart by Mercedes

Formula E

Formula E compared to Mario Kart by Mercedes

Mercedes entered their own team for the first time in 2019.

Martin Macdonald

Thursday 30 January 2020 15:00

Toto Wolff says he enjoyed his first experience of live Formula E with Mercedes in November, and compared the sport watching someone play Super Mario Kart.

For the first time in the brand’s history, Mercedes entered a team into a FE competition, replacing HWA Racelab for the sixth season of the all-electric series.

He admits to enjoying the frenetic nature of the competition on the track, hence the comparison to a video game, and reckons FE should be given time to grow.

“I really enjoyed the experience, I must say,” Wolff said.

“I’ve never been to Saudi Arabia before and launching our Mercedes Formula E journey was very special.

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“The crowds were phenomenal, seeing how this country is opening up – something I didn’t expect in that way. And the racing is very different to Formula 1, clearly you can say that.

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“For me, it’s Super Mario Kart with real drivers, but it’s absolutely valid to give that a chance.”

After the opening three races, Mercedes are currently second in the FE championship behind BMW, and Wolff is impressed with how Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries have performed for the Silver Arrows so far.

“Nyck has already contributed a great deal to the team’s performance,” the Austrian continued.

“He’s very mature and the way he’s – as a personality and as a racing driver – been able to slot into the team with Stoffel is really nice to see.

“We have set our ambitions or our expectations on a realistic target, which we have overachieved and both of the drivers contributed to this happening.”