Season in focus: Mercedes-EQ, ROKiT Venturi Racing, DS TECHEETAH

With the 2021/22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship all wrapped up, it's time for the post-season analysis. With valiant efforts from all teams on the grid, there were three that stood apart from the pack - Mercedes_EQ, ROKiT Venturi Racing and DS TECHEETAH. Here we look back at the highs, lows and blows from the top three teams in Formula E. 

1st, Mercedes-EQ - 319 points

Rounding off its time in Formula E with another twin-title win in the final round, the German works squad dominated the Season 8 with its formidable Mercedes-EQ powertrain - underpinnings that also put customer team Venturi Racing on the podium more than a few times. 

After Nyck de Vries scooped the Driver's title in 2020/21, it was his teammate's turn this time round with a ruthlessly consistent Stoffel Vandoorne taking the title by a convincing 33 points come the final round on the streets of the South Korean capital.

As for his team, Mercedes took its second Formula E Team's title in the series with a 24 point margin on its customer team ROKiT Venturi Racing. Collecting double digit points in all but one race in the season, it was Mercedes consistency that was the key to their success second time around. Over the course of the season, both Mercedes-EQ and its customer team ROKiT Venturi Racing collected half of the total race wins, showing the strength of its final Gen2 formula. Powering the squad to victory for the second year running was unflappable Team Principle Ian James. 

“I remember four years ago, when the board of Mercedes Benz, together with Toto Wolff made the decision to come into this series, we didn't really know how it was going to play out," said James, moments after receiving the trophy on the podium in Seoul. "We knew we'd give it one hell of a shot. But at the same time, we knew just how competitive it is. Having had the success that we've achieved is beyond our wildest dreams. It's phenomenal and a huge thank you and congratulations to all the men and women at Brixworth and Brackley and all the blood, sweat and tears that you put into it." 

2nd, ROKiT Venturi Racing - 295 points

Equipped with Mercedes-EQ's powertrain, Season 8 saw ROKiT Venturi Racing challenge for the top spot, despite being one of the only privateer teams in the championship. Under CEO Susie Wolff and Formula E racer turned Team Principal Jerome d'Ambrosio, the Monaco-based team finished a very close second behind Mercedes - just 24 points short - with a grand total of 295. But securing second was no easy feat and, aside from the powertrain, down to the handiwork of seasoned champion Lucas di Grassi and his teammate Edoardo Mortara.  

IMAGE ID: /9dc86a25e6924c218fb55ac447174cff
Together the pair powered the privateer team to an early lead, with Mortara securing second in Round 1 before both drivers made the podium in Round 2. Collecting 50 points for the team in the first two races in Saudi Arabia, the team's momentum started to run out after Mexico, dropping into single figures until the pace - and luck - picked up again in Round 7 with Mortara bouncing back on to the top step of the podium. Looking strong into the second half of the season, it was Round 12 and 13 that ruined the team's chance of securing its first championship title, with just four points to show for both rounds. Despite a valiant effort from di Grassi and Mortara in the final three rounds, the break in Venturi’s dominance allowed closest rivals Mercedes-EQ to slip past in the standings and march on to victory in Seoul.

3rd, DS TECHEETAH - 266 points

With two Team's Championship titles to its name already, DS TECHEETAH has been a consistent challenger in Formula E. Securing the top spot in both Season 5 and 6, the French team has lost the blistering pace for which it became known in recent years. Despite its star driver lineup - consisting of Season 6 Champion Antonio Felix da Costa and Formula E's only two-time Champion Jean-Eric Vergne - the team struggled to keep up with both Mercedes-powered teams.

Marred by a slow start and finish to its campaign, DS TECHEETAH enjoyed a prosperous mid-season, which saw the outfit collect 191 points between Rounds 3 and 10. In that time, the team collected six podiums ahead of da Costa's first season win in New York City, Round 12. One of its crowing moments came in Jakarta and Marrakesh, where both Vergne secured a second place finish from Pole in the Indonesian capital, shortly before his teammate followed suit with exactly the same result in Marrakesh. That stroke of good fortune and performance scooped 66 points in two consecutive races but it wasn't enough to stop the mighty Mercedes-powered teams from marching on to collect first and second in Seoul.