Mann: “It’s an honour to be on the list”

Pippa Mann will have her first taste of all-electric machinery when she takes part in the in-season test following the Ad Diriyah E-Prix. The veteran IndyCar driver shares her expectations ahead of her first outing with the Geox Dragon team.

Mann will be joining the stellar line-up of female talent that will be taking part in the ABB FIA Formula E in-season test in Ad Diriyah on December 16.

The 35 year-old, who is the first British female driver and the eighth woman ever in history to start an Indianapolis 500 race, will be testing the #6 Penske EV-3 in Riyadh.

“I think the line up is fantastic. Some of the best female racers in the world are showing up at this event, and it’s an honor to be on the list,” she told e-racing.net ahead of the first race of season five.

“I’m very aware that I’m coming to this test as a test driver. It’s my job to help gather data for the team and see whether I can help provide useful feedback,” she says.

This will also be her first experience dealing with Formula E machinery: “I haven’t had any Formula E sim time, and it’s been years since I last drove on a street circuit (Indy Lights in 2010), so my expectations of ultimate performance are very much in check.”

[perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“It’s going to be an entirely new experience for me.”[/perfectpullquote]

“It’s going to be an entirely new experience for me. I have no recent time in an open wheel car on a street or road course as I’ve only been driving ovals in IndyCar and sports cars on road courses, and it’s a completely new team, new circuit and new environment.

“I expect all of that to be challenging, and again, my role will just be to gather as much useful data as I possibly can for Geox Dragon,” she adds.

What are her first impressions of the all-electric championship?

“I feel that it’s definitely the technology that sets Formula E apart from the other series right now. That, plus the fact the series races in interesting locations, and only on street courses.”

Now, with Formula E added onto her impressive CV, Mann is also looking forward to expanding her range of expertise by getting into other forms of racing next year: “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to drive as many different race cars as possible!”