The Envision Virgin Racing Formula E Team has unveiled its new look for the 2018/19 season five and its confirmed driver line-up.
Long-time Virgin racer Sam Bird will be joined by Robin Frijns, who previously drove for the Andretti outfit for two seasons before sitting out season four in order to focus on his DTM and Blancpain campaigns.
Virgin's Audi e-tron FE05 Gen2 car continues to feature a predominantly purple livery with red highlights, although it's now finished in a matte sheen, rather than gloss.
"We are incredibly excited to witness the Envision Virgin Racing team enter into the fifth season of Formula E," commented Envision founder and CEO Lei Zhang. "By taking part in this rapidly expanding racing series, we are provided with a format that allows us to share our enthusiasm for innovative technology, elegant design, smart mobility and high speed while showcasing the pure power of clean energy.
"Virgin Racing’s on-and-off track achievements in this championship so far have been extraordinary and we hope that the new Envision Virgin Racing Team, united by a shared passion for sustainability and motorsport, can continue building this team’s impressive legacy.
"The team will be guided by Mr. Franz Jung, the Vice President of Envision Smart Mobility and the Chairman of the Board of Envision Virgin Racing. With his rich experience in automotive industry as a former senior executive of German premium brands, I’m confident in the team for the coming season."
Bird, who remains with the team for a fifth season and is the only driver to have won a race in each of Formula E's four season, as well as 15 podiums and third in the championship this year, added: "It’s great to be remaining with the team for a fifth season. The relationship we have developed over the last 45 races has been incredible and I’m excited to see it continue to strengthen.
"Season five is a new era for every team – with the introduction of the Gen2 car – but particularly for us, as we are now joined by Envision Group. The team has worked tirelessly over the summer and are ready to return to the track for pre-season testing."
Newcomer Frijns added: "I’m very excited to be returning to Formula E with Envision Virgin Racing. It’s great to be joining such a strong team and with the work we’ve already completed, it’s clear we have a very good package. The live event at Silverstone has showcased all that the team can do and it’s great to be a part of that. We now look ahead to pre-season testing, where we’ll be able to better gauge our on-track performance."
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