Porsche Taycan revealed as new Formula E safety car
The all-electric Porsche Taycan has been selected as the new safety car for the upcoming season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
With the series opting for Porsche’s Turbo S model, the new safety car will celebrate its racetrack debut at the opening round of the Formula E season on 28/29 January in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
The Taycan will replace the Mini Electric, with an output of up to 560 kW (761 PS) allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 2.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 161mph.
The conversion of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S into a safety car required the installation of a roll cage and racing bucket seats with six-point seatbelts as well as wire harnesses for the safety car lighting and the Marelli Logger System. Flashing lights were integrated into the bumpers. The new workplace of Bruno Correia (Portugal), the long-standing FIA Formula E safety car driver, was also equipped with a fire extinguisher and a high-tech communication system.
Thomas Laudenbach, vice president Porsche Motorsport, said: “We’re proud that Formula E has entrusted a Porsche with this task – one that is important for the safety of its drivers.
“With the Taycan Turbo S as the official safety car, we’re making an important contribution to track safety and also underlining the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport. The distinctive design illustrates our commitment to the successful future of this innovative racing series. Although we’re rivals out on the track, we’re spreading this message to the world together. What’s more, we hope that this also enables us to appeal to a younger target audience who are not yet motorsport fans.”
Jamie Reigle, CEO of Formula E, added: “Formula E is delighted the Porsche Taycan Turbo S will serve as the Championship’s safety car from Season 8.
“The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is the pinnacle of high performance electrified vehicles and will light up Formula E city racetracks around the world. In designing the Formula E safety car, Porsche reimagined the critical on-track safety function to be a powerful symbol of the championship’s commitment to an electrified future and the unity of the competitors in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.”
