Heidfeld: “New manufacturers will boost the series even more”

For Mahindra Racing’s Nick Heidfeld it has been a difficult season so far. Ahead of the Berlin E-Prix, the German talks about how Formula E is going to change in the next few years.

What makes the Berlin E-Prix so special to you?

Of course it is something very special to drive your car in such an amazing city as a German. Berlin is the most multicultural city I have ever been to so I am really looking forward to the race.

How did Formula E win you over?

For me, it is a new challenge in my career as a race car driver. And the fact that the series only takes place on city tracks makes it exiting as well! These kinds of race tracks are very difficult to master which is why these races are so much fun.

Which differences are there between Formula E and Formula 1?

At the moment, Formula E is considerably slower than Formula 1 – and we also have less grip. But that is kind of the perfect condition for city racing because if the cars would be much faster, it would most likely be more difficult to get the permission to race there. Also, the races are really exiting because you can see so much overtaking and it all happens in just one day. That’s why the fans get to see so much more of the cars: practice sessions, qualifying and the race – and all of this on a Saturday.

Do you believe, the competition will get even harder with all these big manufacturers entering?

Formula E has always been very competitive ever since it started. But the series is getting bigger and more and more popular – which we can also see in the rising numbers of fans attending. Within the next two seasons, we will see all the big manufacturers such as Mercedes, Porsche and BMW – and that’s going to boost the series even more!

In which city would you like to actually race a Formula E car?

Personally for me, it has been a long dream to drive in Zurich because I live close by – and that’s going to happen this year. And if I have to choose another continent, I would vote for Australia. I would love to see Formula E in Melbourne or Sydney.

Photo by: Rajan Jangda / e-racing.net