MAHINDRA RACING AND QUICK NICK RETURN TO GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED IN UNRACED M6ELECTRO
2 JULY 2019, BANBURY, ENGLAND – Mahindra Racing is ready to return to the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed this week with Nick Heidfeld and the unraced M6Electro. The squad will be the only Formula E team to compete on the renowned Hillclimb in both its Gen1 and Gen2 all-electric racing cars. Mahindra Racing’s second visit to the world-famous automotive celebration also marks 20 years since the ‘King of Goodwood’ claimed his first record. Heidfeld took the honours of being the first driver to become a Goodwood double record holder when he set the openwheel electric vehicle record in 2017 in Mahindra Racing’s season four challenger, the M4Electro.
Nick holds the outright Goodwood course record with a blistering time of 41.6 seconds in the McLaren MP4/13 that he set in 1999 and set the benchmark open-wheel eRecord of 48.59 seconds when the unraced M4Electro made its public debut two years ago. Mahindra Racing will run the 1.16-mile course with Nick behind the wheel for the M6Electro’s first official outing once on Thursday and twice daily from Friday to Sunday in the batch together with Formula 1 cars, with the aim of setting a new open-wheel eRecord and overall electric motor record. Nick has also qualified in the Sunday Shootout three times after setting the fastest time in his Hillclimb group.
Hot on the heels of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Mahindra Racing will then travel to New York for the double-header conclusion of the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Throughout its season five campaign, Mahindra Racing has so far claimed three podiums, six Super Pole appearances, one Julius Baer Pole Position and one fastest lap with the current M5Electro.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND
“Nick’s achievement on the Hill in 1999 was an electrifying performance, right on the edge. It still sends shivers down my spine when I watch it. For a very young driver who was eager to make his way in the sport, it’s hard to imagine how important it was to make sure that his run was memorable for all the right reasons – and he delivered in consummate style. In the years that have followed, Nick has fulfilled that early potential in abundance in a distinguished F1 career, together with his many sports car racing successes and with Mahindra at the forefront in Formula E. It is fantastic that we now have the chance to look back on that run together and I look forward to seeing him, his record-breaking car from 20 years ago and the Mahindra Formula E Gen2 car at the Festival of Speed this weekend.”
NICK HEIDFELD
“I have been coming to the Goodwood Festival of Speed for as long as I can remember – at least 20 years as that’s the anniversary of my first hillclimb record, which is just crazy! It’s going to be interesting to see if my record is going to be broken this year because it was close in 2018, but I am back to challenge the open-wheel eRecord with the new Mahindra Racing Gen2 car. Goodwood Festival of Speed is very special to me because you see cars that you dream of and it has something to offer for all automotive enthusiasts; four wheels, two wheels, new and old cars – there is a lot of variations to see. It is great to see more support every year for electric mobility and the crowds never disappoint, so let’s hope I can entertain them again.”
DILBAGH GILL, TEAM PRINCIPAL
“When you think of Goodwood Festival of Speed, you think of Nick Heidfeld and we were never going to miss the opportunity of sending him back up the Goodwood hill on the 20th Anniversary of his first record. Mahindra Racing is back to show the crowds just how far Formula E has come with the M6Electro. Most people will remember when Nick set a new record in the M4Electro and that was impressive but the Gen2 cars are faster than ever, so it would be great to head to New York with a new open-wheel eRecord!”
