Michelin CGDE : E-Prix of Berlin 2021

PRESS RELEASE

MOTORSPORT

Boulogne-Billancourt, France - August 15, 2021

Nyck de Vries and Mercedes EQ Formula E Team secure the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E world titles with Michelin

• Dutchman de Vries claims the Drivers' crown in his Michelin-equipped electric single-seater
• The Constructors' title goes to Michelin-partnerMercedes EQ Formula E Team
• The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV contributes to more thrilling action at Berlin
  Tempelhof's notoriously abrasive track

The first of the last two e-prix of the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the former Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, was won by Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler), ahead of Edoardo Mortara (Rokit Venturi Racing) and Mitch Evans (Jaguar Racing).

The result meant that no fewer than 14 drivers and six teams remained in contention - on paper - for this year's Drivers' and Constructors' titles!

The two crowns ended up going to de Vries and Mercedes EQ Formula E after the Dutchman came seventh in Sunday's thriller that saw top spot go to Norman Nato (Rokit Venturi Racing), ahead of Oliver Rowland (Nissan e.dams) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Mercedes EQ Formula E Team).

In compliance with the recommendations of the local health authorities, the challenging pop-up circuit was authorised to accommodate several thousand spectators, in contrast to last summer's visit to Berlin - a city that has hosted Formula E action every year since Season 1 (2014/2015) - which was staged behind closed doors.

An exacting circuit

This weekend was the all-electric championship's sixth visit to the German city's former Tempelhof Airport which is not only notorious for the hard-wearing surface of its concrete track but also provides outstanding grip in dry and wet conditions alike.

For the 2021 campaign's finale, the organisers laid on a 10-turn,2.355-kilometre loop which was ran anticlockwise on Saturday before switching to a clockwise format for the season's 15th and last race, a change which altered the constraints placed on the cars' tyres.

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"First of all, I would like to congratulate Nyck de Vries and Mercedes EQ Formula E on winning this year's world titles," says Jérôme Mondain, the manager of Michelin's Formula E programme. "The team's success was founded on the performance and reliability of its cars, as well as on its race craft and determination. As a founding partner of the FIA Formula E World Championship, we are proud to have contributed to the progress made by the championship's single-seaters thanks to the development of three distinct generations of our tyre in just seven seasons. This campaign was once again unique due to the pandemic, but the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV rose successfully to the different challenges it faced to deliver across another broad spectrum of weather and track conditions at a mix of street circuits and permanent facilities.

"We have long been familiar with Berlin's aggressive and abrasive ribbed-concrete surface and we were also expecting hotter weather than last year, but that turned out not to be the case due to the breeze. As always, our tyres allowed our partners to push all the way to the chequered flag, just as they have done all season."

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV in brief

The MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV is the third-generation of the tyre first developed by the French firm for the FIA Formula E Championship. It is the only 18-inch tyre to feature in a world class single-seater series. Not only does it resemble a road tyre because of its patterned tread, but it is also the only racing tyre engineered to perform safely and consistently in both wet and dry conditions from the start to the finish of races. Its characteristics consequently fit perfectly with Michelin's stance on the environment inasmuch as fewer tyres need to be made, shipped and recycled than is the case with any other FIA championship. Formula E also favours Michelin's policy of carrying over technology from the track to the street, allowing data harvested at races to be channelled into the development of new road tyres.

Meanwhile, Michelin has shaved some 20 percent off the weight of its Formula E tyre since the championship's inauguration in 2014. This works out at a saving of nine kilograms per car which, combined with the significantly lower rolling resistance the tyre now boasts, contributes to extended range.

The FIA benefiting from Michelin's digital expertise

Michelin Track Connect for Formula E allows tyre pressures to be monitored automatically and reliably - whether hot or cold. This new solution addresses a demand expressed by motorsport's governing body - the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) - which incorporated its use into Formula E's regulations at the beginning of the 2019/2020 championship. The system also meets a requirement of the teams and the championship's promoter.

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Michelin Track Connect for Formula E uses a Michelin-designed and developed sensor embedded in a specific casing placed inside the MICHELIN Pilot Sport EV tyres that feature in the series. The data it collects is transmitted in encrypted form to the FIA and Michelin who are the only recipients. Not only does this guarantee that information remains confidential, but it also allows the FIA to check minimum tyre pressures are adhered to. In addition to saving time, it provides the teams with additional peace of mind and helps to streamline the running of race days.

Michelin, the leading mobility company, is dedicated to enhancing its clients' mobility, sustainably; designing and distributing the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its clients' needs; providing digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences; and developing high-technology materials that serve a variety of industries. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 170 countries, has 123,600 employees and operates 71 tire production facilities which together produced around 170 million tires in 2020. (www.michelin.com)

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