China's "hand in the fledgling Formula E circuit" was strengthened with mainland-based sports marketing and management firm Seca throwing its "weight behind a team" for the '16-17 season, according to Mathew Scott of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Seca Founder & CEO Sheng Li said, "We think it's the future, simple as that." The Seca-backed Techeetah team will make its debut "when the third FIA Formula E Championship series kicks off in Hong Kong" on the weekend of Oct. 8-9 and the team will feature mainland driver Ma Qinghua along with experienced Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne. Techeetah will "take the place of Team Aguri on the 10-team roster for the upcoming 14 round series, and will join China’s NEXTEV TCR Formula E Team" which has been with the series since it began in '14-15, and saw driver Nelson Piquet Jr. win the inaugural driver’s championship. Sheng and his team "were trackside in London" when Renault e.Dams' Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi claimed the '15-16 series. Sheng, whose company is "also playing a role in the rise of the Chinese Super League," said, "We were amazed by what we saw in London and by what the series has done in such a short space of time" (SCMP, 7/7).
