Andretti Autosport becomes first American Formula E team

Indianapolis, July 17 (IANS) Renowned IndyCar team Andretti Autosport, led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Wednesday became the third of 10 teams to sign up to the FIA Formula E Championship – the world’s first fully electric-racing series, beginning in September 2014.

The launch, held at the team’s headquarters in Indianapolis, was attended by Alejandro Agag, CEO of Championship promoters Formula E Holdings and Andretti Autosport CEO Michael Andretti.

Andretti Autosport currently fields multiple entries in the IZOD IndyCar Series along with multiple campaigns in the Firestone Indy Lights, the Pro Mazda Championship and in the USF2000 National Championship. It is one of the most well-known and decorated teams in US motorsport with four IndyCar championships (2004, 2005, 2007 and 2012), two Firestone Indy Lights titles (2008 and 2009), one USF2000 championship (2010) and has won the world-famous Indianapolis 500 twice (2005 and 2007).

Michael himself boasts a racing career spanning more than 20 years competing in CART and Formula One with a remarkable 42 victories in CART, a runner-up on five occasions and second on the list of the most IndyCar laps led, just behind his father Mario.

“It’s an honour for us to have been selected as one of the 10 founding Formula E teams for the inaugural season,” said Michael Andretti. “I look forward to further exploring the series and helping build the future of open-wheel racing across the world.”

The American outfit becomes the third team to join the new zero emission series which will see Formula cars racing on 10 city-centre circuits all around the world. They join UK-based Drayson Racing, who recently set the world electric land speed record, together with China Racing, headed up by the highly-regarded Steven Lu.

For the inaugural season, teams will use the new Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car, built by French-based company Spark Racing Technology, together with a consortium of the leading manufacturers in motorsport including McLaren, Williams, Renault and Dallara – with Michelin being the Championship’s tyre supplier.