Stoffel Vandoorne embarks on Formula E mission with HWA RACELAB.

The driver pairing for the debut season of HWA RACELAB in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship has been confirmed: the team from Affalterbach go into action with a strong line-up of Stoffel Vandoorne and Gary Paffett.

  • Stoffel won the GP2 championship at a canter in 2015: since 2016 he has so far competed in 37 Formula 1 Grands Prix.
  • Stoffel Vandoorne: “It definitely won’t be easy. My objective is therefore to become competitive in the series as soon as possible and to make a good impression.”
  • Ulrich Fritz: “Stoffel and Gary are outstanding racing drivers who have a wealth of experience gained in Formula 1 and in the DTM. In addition, both know how to work in collaboration with the engineers to develop and fine-tune a new racing car.”

Affalterbach, 15thOctober 2018 – A new racing series, a new challenge and a new team: Stoffel Vandoorne will be making his Formula E debut in the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship as a member of the HWA RACELAB squad. The 26-year-old Belgian will be competing alongside newly crowned DTM champion Gary Paffett. Together, the two experienced drivers constitute a strong line-up for the team’s first season in the electric street racing series.

“I am honoured that HWA have signed me for their Formula E programme,” said Stoffel. “HWA are such a great team with a long and successful history in motorsport. All the people I’ve met so far are really passionate about racing. Also, it´s great to work alongside such an experienced driver as Gary Paffett. I am pretty sure that we will benefit from each other during the season. Although we are all newbies to the series, I have no doubt that we will have a steep learning curve. However, it won’t be easy. My objective is therefore to become competitive in the series as soon as possible and to make a good impression.”

Despite his youthfulness, Stoffel can already look back on many years of racing experience. After first entering single-seater racing in the F4 Eurocup, he climbed up the formula racing ladder to compete in the GP2 series. He won the 2015 championship at a canter at only the second attempt. A year later, he stepped in as a replacement for the injured two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to make his Formula 1 debut in the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing in the points on his very first outing. For the past two seasons (2017 and 2018), he has contested the premier class as a McLaren driver.

“There is a lot happening in our team at the moment,” said Ulrich Fritz, CEO of HWA AG. “After the official team presentation last week, we are today announcing the signing of Stoffel, which means we’ve slotted yet another piece into the puzzle that is our Formula E project. Stoffel has demonstrated his talent and his speed not only in Formula 1, but also in the 2015 GP2 which he won by a wide margin. In Stoffel and Gary, we have two Formula E rookies on our team, which in any case is making its own debut in the electric series. That’s why we all have a lot to learn together. However, Gary and are Stoffel outstanding racing drivers who have a wealth of experience gained in Formula 1 and in the DTM. In addition, both know how to work in collaboration with the engineers to develop and fine-tune a new racing car. These are precisely the sort of strengths that will count for a lot in our first Formula E campaign. It gives me confidence that we and our two drivers are well prepared for the challenges ahead.”

Everyone at team headquarters in Affalterbach has a busy time ahead of them before the season opener on 15 December in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. This week (16 - 19 October), they have the official tests in Valencia, the first outing for the team’s two new Gen2 cars. 

About HWA AG
HWA AG is an independent, 360° engineering specialist in the fields of automobile racing and high-performance cars. Formed in 1998 by Hans Werner Aufrecht, the company is based in Affalterbach (Germany) and employs roughly 300 highly-qualified members of staff. HWA AG offers all its products and services under the motto ENGINEERING SPEED: The company’s objective is to develop the best possible, high-quality solutions, in order to get its partners and customers to their destination quicker. The portfolio of services ranges from designing all vehicle components to assembling complete cars, together with the relevant logistics, after-sales and support services.

About HWA RACELAB
HWA RACELAB is HWA AG’s operations team in motorsport. It brings together experienced specialists in high-quality race engineering and the associated services, in pursuit of success on the motorsport scene. HWA RACELAB will enter Formula E as a new team in the 2018/19 season, adding a future-oriented string to HWA’s wealth of racetrack expertise. With ten Drivers’ titles and over 180 race wins as a works team for Mercedes-AMG in the DTM, the company is one of the most successful players in international motorsport. HWA RACELAB also draws on the company’s other core areas of expertise, such as the development, assembly and running of GT cars for customer racing, as well as the assembly of Formula 3 race engines.

 

Oliver Kapffenstein
Motorsport Communications, Formula E

tel:         +49 (0) 711 17 57 00 4
mob:      +49 (0) 160 8 67 47 97
email:     o.kapffenstein@hwaag-partner.com

Marlene Wieland
Motorsport Communications, Formula E

tel:         +49 (0) 711 17 51 80 3
mob:      +49 (0) 160 8 62 80 80
email:     m.wieland@hwaag-partner.com