Update | 'Teams have made decision on De Vries and Buemi'

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Colleagues vote on fate De Vries and Buemi in Formula e
17 March at 16:15
  • Ludo van Denderen

In Formula 1, it is clear: the 20 drivers only compete in this championship and (barring injuries/illness) are present at every Grand Prix. In other classes, it is often different. Drivers in the World Endurance Championship regularly also compete in Formula E. This is usually fine, as the races are not run on the same days. Only this year, it's different. When the 6 Hours of Spa is scheduled for the WEC, there is a Formula E race in Berlin. That causes problems.

For a long time, the possibility of moving one of the events to avoid a clash was considered. In the end, this option proved impossible. So several drivers driving both WEC and Formula E will have to choose: on 11 May, take part in the Spa race or race in Berlin? Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne soon made it clear: they will drive in Formula E on behalf of DS Penske.

Ballot for Formula E teams

Nyck de Vries, Sebastien Buemi and Robin Frijns definitely opt for the Belgian endurance race; for Edoardo Mortara, it is still unclear. But: Berlin will not only host a Formula E race on 11 May, but there will also be a second one a day later. So, in theory, it is possible that drivers who competed in the WEC on Saturday could be active in the German capital on Sunday.

There is only one problem: Formula E sees the weekend in Berlin as one event. So whoever races there on Saturday should also race there on Sunday. However, it has now been decided to hold a vote among all teams, which must approve that drivers can leave on Saturday and still get in on Sunday. Only a unanimous 'yes' vote will allow De Vries, Frijns, and Buemi to enter the second E-Prix in Berlin. The result of the vote is expected soon.

Updated 5:00 PM

According to Motorsport.com, at least one of the teams has voted against the drivers' participation in Formula E on Sunday for those who will participate in the WEC a day earlier in Spa. Since a unanimous 'yes' was required to be admitted, De Vries, Buemi, Frijns, and Müller can't race in both.