Former DTM champion Gary Paffett has been named as the first driver of HWA ahead of the squad's first campaign in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.
Paffett, 37, won the DTM series in 2005 and has finished in the runner-up spot in the popular touring car series on three occasions since. With one race weekend of the 2018 season remaining, the Briton currently occupies second place in the Drivers' Championship, trailing team-mate Paul di Resta by four points.
“I’m really excited about driving for HWA in the fifth season of Formula E," said Paffett.
"This is basically the first time for 15 years that I will have switched series and cars. It’ll be a major challenge – for me, and for the team.
"Most of them – like me – are moving over from the DTM. As such, we have a lot to learn. It’ll certainly not be easy at first, but we’re ready and are all looking forward to it. Formula E is a very promising series with great prospects. It’s great to be a part of it," he continued.
"I watched the race in Marrakesh at the start of the year and was impressed by the atmosphere. It was totally different to the DTM and anything else I’ve seen before.
"We must adapt to this new format and adjust our approach to the race weekends accordingly. The standard of the drivers and teams is definitely very high.”
For Season Five which sees a new dawn for the all-electric Formula E championship with the arrival of the Gen2 car, HWA will be a customer team of Venturi, using the Monegasque squad's VFE-05 powertrain while sporting a McLaren Applied Technologies developed battery which will see cars be able to complete a full race distance.
“The team name HWA Racelab bundles the DNA of HWA AG. Since the company was founded in 1998, our core area of expertise has been developing, researching and running cars in motor racing," said HWA team principal, Ulrich Fritz.
"In order to compete successfully in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the focus on, and confidence in, these areas of expertise will be particularly important.
"We’re looking forward to the new challenges that come with Formula E. Over the past weeks and months, we’ve worked very hard to lay a solid foundation, upon which to enter this fiercely-competitive series.
"In doing so, we’ve benefitted greatly from the experience gained in cooperation with the Venturi team, whom we supported last season as technical partner.
"We’re now well positioned with our own team to compete under our own flag. We’re approaching this challenge with a healthy mixture of confidence and respect.
"The season ahead will be a learning year for HWA Racelab, but I’m confident that we’ll very quickly establish ourselves and be competitive in the series,” he concluded.
Pre-season testing for Formula E's fifth season of competition will commence on October 16 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia before the 13-round calendar gets underway in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on December 15.
Paffett's team-mate for the coming 2018/19 campaign has not yet been confirmed although current McLaren Formula 1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne has been tipped for a seat.
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