Robin Frijns will no longer be participating in the Formula E this season, instead focusing on the World Endurance Championship (WEC). After years in the electric racing series, will he miss it? Not particularly. Being a Formula E driver is demanding, perhaps even more so than Formula 1.
‘After the final race of the WEC in Bahrain, I immediately went to Daytona for testing. So, it’s still busy, but with my departure from Formula E, things will be a bit quieter. That’s fine by me, I’m 34 years old and newly married; it will be nice to spend more time at home…’
I’ve been in Formula E for nine years. In that sense, it will take some getting used to the fact that it’s over for me. I only wanted to drive the last year in the Gen3 and then focus on WEC, while Envision wanted a driver for the team who would also test the Gen4 car. In short: the team and I had different priorities.
Without Formula E, I will have more time for other things. I’ve been doing long-distance racing with BMW, in addition to a double program with Formula E. That adds up: you do about ten to twelve race weekends in that class, but the week before the races you are already away. Purely in terms of preparation, we spend two to three days in the simulator the week before. And that simulator is in England. You fly there a day in advance and leave a day later. All of this means that you are essentially away for the entire week.
Sometimes, as a Formula E driver, you go to England for simulator work, then immediately on to a race in Formula E or the WEC, then on to another race, back to England to sit in the simulator again for the next race. There are periods when it just doesn’t stop. That’s our job, that’s what we choose. So, having a bit more time next year will be nice.
In Formula 1, drivers are also busy with many things and a full calendar, but it helps them that other drivers also do simulator work in advance. This is not the case in Formula E, we have to do all of that ourselves. By the way, driving in the simulator was and is not really a hobby of mine. I have never been strong in the sim, like the younger generation is, for example. I found the sim terrible, so I will definitely not miss that.
It’s a very large part of my career, those nine years. So it’s a bit strange to watch Formula E from the couch. Just watching as a fan is not an option – you still watch as a driver. Compare it to a footballer who has played for ten years, he can’t necessarily enjoy a match with a beer in hand. No, he also watches from an analysis or tactical perspective. I do the same with racing.
And WEC, I will just continue doing that. I will continue where I left off. We have been on the road with BMW for two years now and have had just a few too many problems this season. But BMW is really on top of becoming successful. Looking forward to it. And also to being home more.
