User:Kowhai33/TheNationsCup/2017–18 Formula E season

The 2017–18 Formula E season (known for commercial reasons as the 2017–18 ABB FIA Formula E season) is the fourth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Formula E motor racing. It features the 2017–18 ABB FIA Formula E Championship, a motor racing championship for open-wheel electric racing cars, recognised by FIA, the sport's governing body, as the highest class of competition for electrically powered vehicles. Twenty drivers representing ten teams will contest twelve ePrix, which started in Hong Kong on 2 December 2017 and will end on 15 July 2018 in New York City as they compete for the Drivers' and Teams' Championships.

2017–18 is the final season that the Spark-Renault SRT_01E chassis—which débuted in the 2014–15 Formula E season—will be used in competition; as a brand new chassis package will be introduced for the 2018–19 season.

Lucas di Grassi is the defending Drivers' Champion after securing his first title at the 2017 Montreal ePrix. Renault e.Dams began the season as the defending Teams' Champion, having clinched its third consecutive accolade at the same event.

After ten rounds, Jean-Éric Vergne leads the Drivers' Championship with 163 points, with Sam Bird in second with 140 points, and Lucas di Grassi in third with 101 points. Techeetah currently lead the Teams' Championship, ahead of DS Virgin Racing and Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler.

Name Changes
The official entry list for the 2017–18 season contained a number of name changes for the teams. These were:
 * Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport became Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler, reflecting increased involvement from Audi.
 * Faraday Future Dragon Racing dropped the name Faraday Future from the official name to become Dragon Racing.
 * NextEV NIO Formula E was shortened to become NIO Formula E.
 * MS Amlin Andretti became MS&AD Andretti Formula E, pending future cooperation with BMW.

Joining Formula E

 * Former IndyCar and GP2 driver Luca Filippi joins NIO, replacing Nelson Piquet Jr. who moved to Jaguar.
 * 2008 A1 Grand Prix champion and 2016 World Endurance Champion Neel Jani joined the series with Dragon Racing replacing Loïc Duval.
 * 2014 GP3 Series champion and 2017 12 Hours of Sebring winner Alex Lynn replaces José María López at DS Virgin Racing.
 * 2011 Formula Nippon Champion and 2012 World Endurance Champion André Lotterer joins Techeetah replacing Stéphane Sarrazin.
 * 2010 Formula 3 Euro Series champion Edoardo Mortara will make his debut in Formula E with Venturi.
 * DTM driver Tom Blomqvist was set to replace Robin Frijns at Andretti Autosport but his seat prior the first round was granted to FIA World Endurance Championship and Super Formula Championship driver Kamui Kobayashi.

Changing teams

 * 2014–15 Formula E champion Nelson Piquet Jr. moves to Panasonic Jaguar Racing, replacing Adam Carroll.

Mid-season changes
After just one weekend in Hong Kong, Dragon Racing driver Neel Jani left the team in order to focus on his upcoming World Endurance Championship campaign. He was replaced by former DS Virgin Racing driver José María López.

For the first weekend in Hong Kong, Kamui Kobayashi was brought by MS&AD Andretti to satisfy sponsors. Tom Blomqvist however, took over that car after and raced it until the Paris round, where he left the team to focus on World Endurance Championship commitments with BMW, he was replaced by Stéphane Sarrazin.

Edoardo Mortara will miss the Berlin, and potentially the finale in New York due to DTM commitments with Mercedes. For Berlin, Mortara will be replaced by Tom Dillmann.

Ma Qing Hua subbed in for Luca Filippi at NIO Formula E Team for the Paris ePrix, to fulfill a contract obligation.