Clapham driver revved up for Hong Kong E-Prix

Clapham-born Alexander Sims will be lining up for the Hong Kong E-Prix on Sunday, in a race set to covered live on BBC2.

The all-electric racing Formula E series has already had four different winners of the opening four races and seen the championship’s reputation for fiercely competitive wheel-to-wheel racing grow.

Sims, who races for the BMW i Andretti Formula E team, is amongst five British drivers in the all-electric series which is now in its fifth season.

He’ll be up against former F1 drivers Felipe Massa and Stoffel Vandoorne in Hong Kong, with the world watching as the race broadcasts live across the globe.

He started his racing career at tracks such as Lydd and Buckmore Park in Kent, following the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in earning their trade in motor racing here, before lining up in series such as British GT and Le Mans.

The 30-year-old is a former winner of the McClaren Autosport British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) award for promising young British drivers.

The E-Prix takes place in the heart of Hong Kong, with the electric racers speeding along the central harbourfront against the backdrop of the city’s iconic skyline. As is typical in the series, fans will be up close and personal with the drivers as they battle it out on the city streets with plenty of wheel-to-wheel action expected.

Ahead of the Hong Kong race, Sims spoke of his excitement for the E-Prix and his start in Formula E. He said: “It’s pretty awesome to be going to an iconic city and racing really near the heart of the city centre. It should be a pretty cool experience.

“It’s a fantastic series to watch. There are so many things that are different about Formula E compared to conventional series. The rules are designed that way to create overtaking opportunities and fan interaction that you don’t have in Formula One. The cars are difficult to drive, which entices the drivers into making mistakes.”

The series has recently introduced a new second-generation racer, capable of speeds of more than 170 miles per hour and has become a genuine contender as one of the world’s most exciting motorsports.

Sims added: “It races in some amazing places around the world – street tracks are most drivers’ favourite types of circuits because the walls make barriers that are non-negotiable.  It’s right up there with the best motorsport championships in the world.”

Coverage of the Hong Kong E-Prix begins at 7.30am on Sunday.