Qualcomm New York City ePrix pole man Alex Lynn has been signed on a multi-year deal alongside Sam Bird to contest Season 4 of the FIA Formula E Championship for DS Virgin Racing.
The 23-year-old was appointed the team’s official reserve driver earlier this year but will step up to a full-time race seat when the all-electric single-seater championship gets underway on December 2 on the streets of Hong Kong.
Lynn was the 2011 Formula Renault UK Champion, 2014 GP3 Champion and victor in the prestigious Macau F3 Grand Prix in 2013. Additionally, he has multiple wins in GP2 (now known as F2) to his credit and has also been a Formula 1 test driver for Renault and Williams. In June this year he made his Formula E debut for DS Virgin in New York, securing pole position at his first attempt.
Meanwhile, Bird, who has contested every one of the team’s 33 race starts, will continue his long- standing association with DS Virgin Racing, during he has taken five wins, nine podiums and four pole positions.
“I am over the moon at being promoted to a full-time drive with the DS Virgin Racing Formula E Team,” said Lynn. “Having worked very closely with them since January this year, it has been a genuine pleasure to learn from such a fantastic group of high quality engineers and to integrate myself into their set-up. Indeed, I have been made to feel very welcome throughout their organisation and I would specifically like to thank Alex Tai for not only giving me the chance to make my series debut in New York, but for subsequently promoting me to this full-time race seat. I am currently enjoying helping the team to further develop the car and intend to fully repay everyone’s faith in me on track next season.”
Bird said: “It’s great to be remaining with the DS Virgin Racing family which I’ve been a part of since we completed the first ever test lap at Donington Park in 2014. Last season saw us take some big steps forward in terms of pace and energy management – as our double victory in New York showed – and I know the team has been working hard on maintaining this competitive edge. I’m looking forward to further success in season four and to be partnering with Alex who will no doubt prove to be a real asset to the team.”
Team Principal Alex Tai commented: “I’m delighted to announce our driver line-up for season four. Alex has always impressed me and has a proven track record in international motorsport so I know he will perform out of the blocks as we’ve already seen. It’s also important for us at DS Virgin Racing to be nurturing young drivers like Alex and the next generation of Formula E racers. Together with Sam, who has consistently proven himself to be one of the most talented drivers on the grid, and the pace of our car, I believe we have a very competitive package that can fight at the top.”
DS Performance Director Xavier Mestelan Pinon added: “Thank you to Jose who performed very well behind the wheel of the DSV-02 during his first Formula E season. In addition, his valuable technical feedback enabled us to progress this year. We are very pleased to continue to work with Sam Bird and Alex Lynn, who was very promising in the tests we had with him and in his first Formula E races.”
