Formula E – China Racing: Garcia replaces Tung in Punta del Este
Ho-Pin Tung will not race with China Racing at the Punta del Este ePrix, as the Chinese driver is committed to the 12 Hours of Abu Dhabi. He will be replaced by Spaniard Antonio Garcia, who participated in pre-season testing with the Chinese Formula E team.
Antonio Garcia, a regular in GT events and notably the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Aston Martin and Corvette, will replace Ho-Pin Tung in the China Racing team for the next Formula E race, which will take place on December 13th in Punta del Este, Argentina.
He will therefore race alongside Nelson Piquet Jr in the 100% Chinese team in the Formula 1 championship, as Ho-Pin Tung will participate in the 12H endurance race in Abu Dhabi.
The Spanish driver expressed his excitement about participating in this brand new championship: “I can’t wait to take part in my first Formula E race. The track is new for everyone so the main challenge for me is to learn the car, especially the battery management. With two races behind him, Nelson [Piquet Jr] should help me with that, and being able to analyze his data from Beijing and Putrajaya will help me quickly get up to speed.”
He has already driven with the China Racing team during pre-season testing and he is showing ambition for this ePrix: « During the tests at Donington, I was comfortable in the car and was posting times in the top 5, so that’s the area where we want to compete in Punta del Este. »
However, the goal of achieving a top 5 finish might be difficult to reach. Indeed, the best qualifying result for China Racing is a 7th place, achieved by Nelson Piquet Jr in Putrajaya. The best race result is also credited to the Brazilian driver, who finished 8th in Beijing.
The replacement of Ho-Pin Tung by Antonio Garcia should be the only change in the paddock for this third round of the Formula E season.
