Audi Sport ABT Becomes Seventh Team To Enter Formula E Series

ABT Sportsline, which runs an Audi factory team in the German Touring Car championship, "will enter the new Formula E electric racing series starting up next year," according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. The Bavarian team "will compete under the Audi Sport ABT name." Audi motorsport head Wolfgang Ullrich said in a statement, "We've been watching this new project of the FIA with great interest and are delighted that ABT Sportsline as one of our close and long-standing partners will be involved right from the beginning." The team is "the seventh to be named for the series, with three more still to come, and third from Europe." Formula E is "due to start in China in September, with races in 10 leading cities including Berlin" (REUTERS, 11/15). AUTOSPORT's Glenn Freeman reported while Audi "will not be involved as a fully-fledged manufacturer entry, it has stressed its support to the project." This is "likely to lead to its factory drivers racing in the series" (AUTOSPORT, 11/15).