Santiago will once again play host to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in season five – featuring a new track in the surroundings of Parque O’Higgins for the second running of the Antofagasta Minerals Santiago E-Prix on January 26.
Following on from the success of the electrifying debut on the streets of Santiago in February earlier this year, Formula E will be bringing fully-electric racing to Parque O’Higgins in the centre of the Chilean capital – subject to track homologation and approval of the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
The Antofagasta Minerals Santiago E-Prix is set to host round three of the highly-anticipated 2018/19 season and will see the new-look Gen2 cars navigate their way around the perimeter roads of the park and along the esplanade of Parque O’Higgins – a venue which hosts numerous international events throughout the year.
Antofagasta Minerals will not only become the race title sponsor for a second consecutive year in Santiago, but it has also expanded its affiliation with the electric street racing series as official copper mining partner.
Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer at Formula E, said: “I’m incredibly happy that Santiago will again feature on the ABB FIA Formula E Championship calendar for season five. I have particularly fond memories of the event last year and I really like the atmosphere of the city and backdrop against the Andes. I’d like to thank the Mayor Felipe Alessandri for his support – as well as the Minister of Sport Pauline Kantor, the Minister of Energy Susana Jiménez, the Intendenta de la Región Metropolitana Karla Rubilar and the President of FADECH Mauricio Melo Avaria for making it possible to host a race in Chile. Parque O’Higgins is an ideal location for an international sporting event such as ours. Also, I’d like to express my gratitude to Antofagasta Minerals for their continued partnership and I look forward to working closely with them as they join the Formula E family as an official partner.”
Felipe Alessandri, Mayor of Santiago, said: “Now we’re changing the location, we learned and we listened to the neighbours – we’re talking with them to mitigate the negative externalities that means organising this event inside Parque O’Higgins. Therefore, the work is done during the day and retaining open access – swimming pools and recreational areas still in operation. As happened in Parque Forestal, the monies obtained by the concept of municipal rights are invested in projects that improve the quality of life for residents – stories such as the installation of new public lighting, recovery of facades, bollards and improvements to playgrounds, pet areas and the installation of an exercise zone.”
