Tom Blomqvist will make a full-time return to Formula E with NIO 333 in Season 7, partnering fellow Briton Oliver Turvey at the Chinese squad.
Blomqvist made his debut in the fully-electric category in Season 4 with Andretti, however, left the American outfit mid-season to be replaced by Stephané Sarrazin.
The 26-year-old subsequently returned to sportscar racing, continuing to work with BMW in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship.
Blomqvist’s most recent Formula E outing came earlier this year after he was named as Jaguar Racing’s Reserve Driver, later replacing James Calado at the team for the final two races of Season 6 where he finished 12th and 16th respectively.
“I am extremely happy to be joining NIO 333 for the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season and cannot wait to get started with the team,” he said.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity and the trust that the team has placed in me, and I can’t wait to repay them with success on track.
“To be back in Formula E full-time is fantastic as the series has gone from strength to strength over the years and I feel very proud to be back on the grid for Season 7.
“It has been great to get to know the team recently and build those relationships – together we are all highly motivated for the season ahead and the positive atmosphere is brilliant to be a part of.”
Turvey will remain within the NIO 333 fold for a seventh consecutive season, having raced for the team since the end of Season 1.
Following its worst campaign on record – in which it failed to register a single point throughout Season 6 – the team has emphasised a productive private testing period, covering a promising 2,828.2kms of running over nine days.
With this in mind, Turvey shared a positive outlook in the run-up to pre-season testing this weekend, eyeing a more competitive season ahead of January’s Santiago opener.
“I am delighted to be continuing in Formula E for Season 7 with NIO 333 Formula E Team,” said the one-time podium finisher. “Having raced for the team in every season since the championship’s inception it is great to be able to continue our journey together.
“It’s a really exciting time for the championship this season as it becomes an official FIA World Championship. I am proud to be racing in a championship that is not only competitive at the highest levels of the sport, but that promotes the use of sustainable technology in the cities that we race in around the world.
“Everyone in the NIO 333 FE Team has put a huge amount of effort into the new car, and the disruption to the race schedule last season has given the team a chance to focus on the development of the new powertrain.
“We have made progress through testing and I am sure that the hard work everyone has put in will result in a more competitive package for the season ahead.”
NIO 333’s Season 7 challenger, the FE 001, features an evolved teal livery and introduces a dark blue contrast against its black carbon bodywork as the first unveiled car of the 2020/21 campaign.
Christian Silk, NIO 333 Team Principal, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Tom to the NIO 333 Formula E Team and reveal our stunning Season 7 car livery today.
“Tom returns to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship with him a wealth of motorsport experience behind him, including recent outings in 2020 endurance racing.
“We have a quick and experienced driving pairing now, with Oliver [Turvey] continuing with us for his sixth consecutive full season, and I am confident that the pairing shall be a successful one.
“Since the Season 6 finale in Berlin we have completed an impressive amount of testing mileage with the NIO 333 001 development chassis and made a very promising start with our new powertrain package in terms of reliability.
“Season 7 will be a fiercely contested competition; however, I feel that we are in a great position going into the FIA World Championship and the whole team at NIO 333 is looking forward to the exciting challenges ahead.”
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