Mercedes confirms Formula E entry in 2019

Mercedes is joining the electric racing bandwagon from 2019. To get there, the company will quit DTM at the end of 2018.

Mercedes has confirmed that it will enter Formula E at the start of the 2019-20 season. This will make the company lock horns with its core rivals - Audi and BMW, both of which have already committed to Formula E from the 2018-19 season.

The Stuttgart-based car manufacturer initially reserved an entry prior to the season-opener in Hong Kong last year, but Mercedes has chosen to extend the option for a further year and commit to race in Formula E for season six - joining the growing list of brands shifting focus to electric.

Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Formula E, said, “Today is a great day as we welcome Mercedes to the Formula E family - adding to the increasing number of manufacturers joining the electric revolution. This shows how much the world is changing, not only in motorsport, but the whole automotive industry. We’re witnessing a transformation that will first change our cities, and then our roads. Formula E is the championship that embodies that change, and together with all our teams and manufacturers we’ll keep pushing for technologies, to have better and more affordable electric cars.”

Participating in Formula E provides car makers with a fantastic testing ground for their new electric technology. This way, the manufacturers can also see how their technology fairs against their competition's. BMW, during its official entry into Formula E, had already made it clear that the newly developed electric technology will eventually make way to its passenger vehicles.

Alongside Formula E entry, the German carmaker also announced its exit from Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) at the end of 2018 season. Mercedes has been a part of DTM since 2000, and has been extremely successful in it, with 183 race wins and 10 drivers’ titles.