Formula E manufacturer team Mahindra and its customer outfit Abt Cupra have withdrawn from this weekend’s race in South Africa due to safety concerns.
Mahindra confirmed it had discovered a problem with the rear suspension on its cars and will take no further part in the Cape Town event.
“Mahindra Racing Formula E team have confirmed their withdrawal from the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship qualifying sessions and race in Cape Town due to rear suspension safety concerns,” said the team in a statement.
“A thorough investigation on the suspension elements of the Mahindra M9Electro race cars will take place on the team’s return to the UK,” it continued. “This decision also affects their customer team
ABT Motorsport.
“The safety of our drivers and extended teams is of utmost importance.”
All four cars took part in the two practice sessions at the Cape Town circuit, which Formula E is racing at for the first time, but did not participate in qualifying for today’s race. The quartet were slower than all their rivals bar the Porsche of Jake Dennis in the second session.
The withdrawal of the two teams cuts the entry for this weekend’s race from 22 cars to 18 and rules out the participation of Lucas di Grassi, who had never previously missed a Formula E race.
Di Grassi, who finished on the podium at the season-opening race in Mexico City and lies 10th in the championship, is ruled out of the race along with team mate Oliver Rowland, who scored his first points of the season at the last race in Hyderabad.
ABT Cupra team mates Nico Mueller and Kelvin van der Linde will also not participate. Van der Linde was drafted in as a substitute for Robin Frijns who was injured in Mexico, and was due to compete in his home event this weekend.
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