Ma Qing Hua will miss the final six races of the season in Berlin, due to travel concerns with him leaving and re-entering China.
The Nio 333 Formula E team considered a number of factors before making this decision, the biggest being the world travel limitations. The current Covid-19 Pandemic situation would have restricted Ma’s arrival in Europe and also his re-entry into China.
The team will announce his replacement in the near future, and early indications suggest that Nelson Piquet Jr and Daniel Abt and the leading favourites to see out the rest of the season with the Chinese team.
Ma was disappointed that he was going to miss the final races of the season but is looking forward to returning to the team in season seven.
“Unfortunately, I am not going to Berlin this year, having raced there during the 2015-2016 season,” said Ma. ” It is quite difficult to travel and race abroad at present, as this would expose us to more Covid-19 risks.
“The team and I had in-depth discussions about this, and considering the current situation of the pandemic, this decision was made to ensure the best possible preparation for the team. I look forward to coming back and racing in the Season 7 World Championship.”
The Chinese-based members of the NIO 333 FE team, will also be unable to attend the events. However, the CEO of the NIO 333 racing team Vincent Wang said this won’t impact the team’s performance in Berlin.
“We have certainly experienced some ups and downs during the first season of the regrouped NIO 333 FE team,” said Yang. “When the plan to resume the championship was announced, we were all very excited to return, the long pause of the season made us miss the battles on the track, especially with the team making significant progress since Marrakech.
“However, due to the number of restrictions, Ma and the Shanghai team members, will be unable to attend the race. It is quite unfortunate, but we will continue to assist remotely. Ma will also be present during the live event with our fans as well as providing support to the team on-site. The management team is currently selecting the replacement for Ma, and an announcement will be made imminently.”
