Former GP2 racer Luca Filippi joins Oliver Turvey at the NIO Formula E team as the team launch their season four challenger.
Ahead of pre-season testing in Valencia, NIO Formula E unveiled their car for the 2017/2018 season – the NEXTEV NIO 003 – whilst confirming that Filippi will race alongside Oliver Turvey.
Their new car will feature their familiar teal livery with a new dark, tonal teal contrast, along with red accents and their social media tag #BlueSkyComing.
Turvey will enter his third season with the team after a strong showing against last season’s team-mate, season one champion Nelson Piquet.
Meanwhile, Filippi is a previous championship runner-up in the GP2 Series, GP2 Asia Series and the AutoGP championship. He has since predominantly competed in IndyCar.
Turvey spoke optimistically about the NEXTEV NIO 003 car, hailing it as “a step forward” from last season’s car and has set his sights on race wins.
“Firstly, I would like to thank NIO for their continued belief and support in me. I am delighted to be continuing for a third season with the NIO Formula E Team,” said Turvey.
“I believe we have grown together over the last two seasons and we have been able to make some good progress together.
“The whole NIO team has been working extremely hard on the new Season 4 car and in the development testing I have felt some positive changes in the chassis and powertrain. I am confident the team has made a step forward and believe we have gained a greater understanding of the car.
“The competition is very high with the level of teams and drivers in the series although I am confident if we continue to build on last year, where I consistently qualified strongly and took my first FE pole position, we can achieve our aims together to challenge for podiums and race wins.”
Filippi added that he had “a great feeling” in the car during the team’s private testing ahead of his debut season.
“Let me firstly thank everyone in NIO for the great opportunity given to me to race in the FIA Formula E Championship. It is a new electric world for me and a new racing system oriented to the future that is full of talent and clean technology, so I am extremely excited to become a part of it.
“During our first test run together in Spain I immediately had a great feeling with the car and all the people in the team. To join NIO for S4 is a dream come true and I am very much looking forward to working with Oliver and Gerry and starting this journey with everyone in the NIO Formula E team.”
Pre-season testing takes place from 2nd-5th October at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.
