This week, the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team will be heading to China for the 10th and 11th rounds of Season 11.

Sam, Taylor and Team Principal Ian James are here to help us prepare for the event. As well as hearing from the team, we’ll also be explaining some key FE terminology, recapping the season so far, and catching up with a team member on their priorities this weekend.

Key info

“After another podium in Tokyo, I’m really looking forward to going racing in Shanghai. We learnt a lot of lessons in Tokyo, especially around how we manage racing in the rain. Going into this weekend, given any weather condition, we’re prepared for every situation. 

“Last year, the car performed pretty well in Shanghai, so we’re definitely aiming high this weekend, and I can’t wait to get out on track.” 

“I’m very much looking forward to getting out to Shanghai. It’s a circuit we had good pace at last year, with a podium for the team, so hopefully we’ll be able to maximise the potential of our current package here. 

“From a personal perspective, I feel confident heading into this weekend, after finding my way back into the points in Tokyo, I’m excited to see what we can do.” 

“After two weekends in Monaco and Tokyo, this week the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team return to Shanghai for the final leg of this busy triple header. 

“We come off the back of a weekend of mixed fortunes in Tokyo. Taylor brought the team to the podium in Round 8 with a well-fought P3 finish, while Sam finished in the points with the Fastest Lap in Round 9 – yet we feel there was more left for us to achieve. 

“Shanghai was a successful event for the team last time out, where we secured a P2 finish. With some of our momentum from the start of the season back on our side, we come into this week full of determination.” 

The season so far

The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team enjoyed an up-and-down weekend last time out, in Tokyo. Taylor started the weekend on the podium with P3 in the first race on Saturday, while Sam managed P12. Then on Sunday, Taylor was unfortunate to retire from the race, with Sam claiming P8 and the Fastest Lap.

We are fourth in the Teams’ standings, nine points off third, with seven rounds remaining. 

FEducation: Electric wheel guns

Our aim is to ensure everyone is as equipped as possible to follow Season 11, so whether you’re new to following Formula E or a long-time fan, we’ll be explaining some of the series’ most complicated terminology, jargon, acronyms, and technical terms to aid your understanding. This week, it’s electric wheel guns.

Formula E uses electric wheel guns, unlike the traditional pneumatic ones used in many series, such as Formula 1.

Wheel guns are used to loosen and tighten wheel nuts when changing tyres. Formula E’s all-weather Hankook tyres are designed to last for an entire race, and so tyre changes are only required in the event of a puncture.

Pneumatic wheel guns are considered to be faster, but electric wheel guns offer numerous other advantages. They are a more sustainable solution and reduce the volume of freight we take to track. They are also considered more reliable, requiring less maintenance, and more consistent, reducing the risk of improper attachment. Electric wheel guns are also considered safer, as they don’t require trailing hoses in the pit lane, which can be dangerous.  

What to watch out for in Shanghai

Each weekend, we’ll catch up with a different member of the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team and ask them what their priorities are for the upcoming E-Prix. This weekend, we’ve spoken with Electric Racing Hospitality Senior Manager, Andrew Sewell.

My role is to oversee hospitality and ticketing for partners at all races throughout the season. Day to day, it is liaising with partners to ensure that we are purchasing the tickets required to run their hospitality programmes, and then creating and implementing those programmes alongside the Partnerships Team, so that they run smoothly at track.

In China, we will be running an Oxagon Lounge, which is our private hospitality suite. Ahead of the weekend, we’ll need to ensure that the build of the suite is implemented to the correct standard and in time, including branding and AV (Audio-Visual) install – and then on race day, making sure that everything from runs smoothly, including the stage show, catering, bar, driver appearances, and so on.

The majority of the day is spent talking to guests and educating them on NEOM McLaren and Formula E. The majority of guests will have never been to a Formula E race before and will therefore know nothing about it. Our aim is to ensure all guests leave with a bit more knowledge on the team and Formula E, putting them on the road to becoming NEOM McLaren Formula E Team fans!

The main challenge in Shanghai will be the language barrier. We will have a translator and host, Yuzhu, with us so that all guests can understand what is going on. We’re also having the suite built ‘in market’, which means working with local suppliers. Communication with local suppliers can be a challenge, but it is amazing what Google Translate can do, and they were excellent in Shanghai last season.

We’ve been planning this for several months, so there shouldn’t be any surprises when we arrive. And because Shanghai is a Formula 1 circuit, the hospitality facilities are excellent and the garages are normally larger, so hopefully there will be a little more room for guests in the viewing gallery.

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