What is the ERT Formula E team?
Is it an underdog, occasionally achieving greatness against all odds?
Or is it a struggling team with limited resources, just happy to be on the grid?
To find an answer, we must delve into the team’s history.
It was initially formed from the success of the Team China Racing entity and Nelson Piquet Jr., who won the first season title.
However, the team’s performance declined when NIO invested heavily, and much of that investment was wasted between the fourth and sixth seasons.
Later, the team went through a complex series of ownership changes involving Brilliance in Excellence, Gusto Engineering, and Lisheng Sports, all under the name NIO 333. NIO eventually phased out their sponsorship. The naming confusion was reminiscent of the Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri/credit card situation.
Given its fragmented past, it’s tempting to give the team the benefit of the doubt.
But that goodwill won’t last forever. The real question now is what lies ahead for the team, which rebranded as Electric Racing Technologies last year.
Currently, the team lacks stability, but they are not alone in this aspect. Many teams in the championship face similar challenges. ERT needs significant investment to progress and potentially survive beyond the Gen3 era. However, team principal Alex Hui asserts their full commitment to the championship.
Nevertheless, the reality is that few major companies are willing to partner with Formula E teams, especially those that activate as brands like Panasonic, Vestas, Heineken, Boss, Mumm, and Vodafone once did.
So, how will ERT secure the necessary investment to secure its future and climb up the grid?
The answer may lie in Formula E’s return to mainland China after a five-year absence. The decision to race in Shanghai, the venue of Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix, is seen as crucial by many. Alex Hui explains, “Racing in a major city like Shanghai is really positive, so I’ve got more people talking about Formula E in my country now. We’re talking to a lot of potential new partners. Once the racing starts again, the momentum will kick up, and things will just get warmer. We’ve got the top free-to-air channel broadcasting in the Asian TV market, and that’s also going to boost the exposure of the championship massively. We’re fully confident in the championship, we believe in the future of Formula E.”
This contradicts the fact that NIO, a Chinese automobile manufacturer, has left Formula E. However, there are positive signs. The multinational conglomerate BYD was present in the Formula E paddock in Mexico City and will be again in Sao Paulo next month. Geely also keeps an eye on Formula E. With Hui’s connections in China, securing fresh investment and partnerships for the smallest team in the championship seems plausible.
Hui states, “The next focus is securing our next long-term partners. But I’m very confident that there’ll be one along very soon. This year, with the return to China, this is the real proper season after COVID. Momentum will keep picking up. You’re always open for any opportunities, and it’s about what is the right opportunity. It doesn’t really matter if it is an investor or a sponsor. You need to strategically bring things forwards, and we are open to any partnership, but it just needs to bring synergy of the business and of the team.”
Hui missed the Mexico City opener as he was meeting with potential investors, highlighting the team’s immediate focus on gaining interest. Their impressive facilities at Silverstone and the talented drivers Sergio Sette Camara and Dan Ticktum demonstrate their strong ambition. However, the team faces a challenging road ahead. The 2024 season started disappointingly in Mexico City with accidents and a catastrophic powertrain incident for Sette Camara. Despite this setback, the team showed promise in Diriyah, with Sette Camara qualifying fourth and finishing ninth. While this may seem modest, it was a significant achievement for ERT, considering the presence of eight cars from Jaguar and Porsche on the grid. Yet, ERT is not naive. They know that they will likely remain on the periphery of the top 10 for most of the 2024 season. Sette Camara and Ticktum believe they should be competing for wins at this stage of their careers in Formula E, so their motivation will be tested.
Sette Camara expresses his optimism, stating, “I think these performances can be repeated at other rounds, yes. I hope to not be surprised the same way negatively as I was surprised positively here. Maybe it’s a one-off, but I don’t think so. We’ll see how it plays out, but I think there’ll be other chances, absolutely. Hopefully Brazil, my home race, will be good, even though that’s nowhere near as good a track for us as here in Riyadh. The swap from Rome for Misano might not be so great; this type of [permanent circuits] are not good for us. London, maybe Tokyo. Unfortunately, I can only think of two, but hopefully, there’s more.”
Hui adds, “I think everyone understands where we are. Honestly, we’ll just focus on doing the best job we can. Everyone knows we don’t have a different package than last season, so we’re not suddenly going to be much faster. Last year, we had a close fight with Mahindra. I think this year we will still have a close fight too, so we’ve just got to do our job the best and polish our operation, get ourselves prepared for next season when we have a better car.”
Whether ERT can achieve this remains uncertain. However, building confidence in their abilities and moving away from survival mode will be crucial in their path towards a more prosperous position in 2025.