Porsche will become the official supplier of the Formula E safety car for the 2022 season following BMW’s withdrawal as a manufacturer team.
BMW has been a long-standing partner of the all-electric motorsport series, supplying the very first safety car, an electric BMW i8, as well as support vehicles made up of BMW i3’s.
Last year BMW shared safety car duties with Mini – a sub-brand of the German manufacturer – but with BMW pulling out of Formula E as a manufacturer, instead only offering technical support to the Andretti outfit, it has been replaced by Porsche as the safety car supplier.
Porsche’s all-electric Taycan model will now be used at all rounds in 2022.
“We’re proud that Formula E has entrusted a Porsche with this task – one that is important for the safety of its drivers,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “With the Taycan Turbo S as the official safety car, we’re making an important contribution to track safety and also underlining the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport.
“The distinctive design illustrates our commitment to the successful future of this innovative racing series. Although we’re rivals out on the track, we’re spreading this message to the world together. What’s more, we hope that this also enables us to appeal to a younger target audience who are not yet motorsport fans.”
The Taycan’s striking paintwork flies the colours of the championship’s eleven teams and those of the FIA and Formula E, “symbolising the commitment of everyone involved in Formula E and the common path towards the future of all-electric motor racing.”
The livery also gives a visual expression of social values such as diversity and community, while the number 22 acknowledges the performance of the 22 drivers set to contest Drivers’ World Championship.
“Formula E is delighted the Porsche Taycan Turbo S will serve as the championship’s Safety Car from Season 8,” added Jamie Reigle, CEO of Formula E. “The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is the pinnacle of high performance electrified vehicles and will light up Formula E city racetracks around the world.
“In designing the Formula E Safety Car, Porsche reimagined the critical on-track safety function to be a powerful symbol of the championship’s commitment to an electrified future and the unity of the competitors in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.”
The Taycan has undergone a conversion which required the installation of a rollcage and racing bucket seats with six-point seatbelts as well as wire harnesses for the Safety Car lighting and the Marelli Logger System, while flashing lights were integrated into the bumpers. Bruno Correia, the long-standing safety car driver is also equipped with a fire extinguisher and a high-tech communication system in his new office.
