A Formula E team is set for major changes heading into the Gen3 Evo era in the 2024/25 season.
ERT have been in the all-electric series since its inaugural season in 2014/15 and have run under several different names. Starting out as China Racing, the team guided Nelson Piquet Jr to becoming the first ever Formula E champion with two wins that year.
The Brazilian’s two victories at Long Beach and Moscow would turn out to be the Chinese team’s only wins in the series. The team have not scored a podium since the 2017/18 season through Oliver Turvey, who finished second at Mexico City.
The year prior, China Racing changed their name to NEXTEV Nio, before becoming simply Nio Formula E team the next season. The Chinese team have been struggling at the back of the grid since then, changing their name again for Season 10 to ERT.
But as hinted on social media, the team could be set for yet another change heading into Season 11.
ERT tease name change on social media amid links to becoming a Porsche customer team
ERT are looking to improve their fortunes, having finished bottom of the Teams’ Championship last season with just 23 points scored.
It had been previously reported by The Race that the team were set to ditch their factory ERT powertrain and move from being a works team to a Porsche customer team.
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It is believed negotiations have been ongoing since June and that an agreement could be reached for a two-year deal, but several factors have to be sorted out before they can fully secure the deal ahead of the new season.
With ERT suffering financial challenges, one of these factors is additional investment from Porsche, as the Chinese team need to ensure their operational costs are met for Season 11.
Furthermore, in that report, it was revealed that Dan Ticktum and Sergio Sette Camara were ‘highly likely’ to stay with ERT for next season, as they are ‘strong assets’ for the team.
And it looks like clarity on the situation will be coming from the team as soon as next week. ERT have been deleting posts on their X account and have also changed their profile name to ‘Kiro Race Co.’
The account has just a plain yellow profile picture and banner, with its bio reading ‘All will be revealed on 10.10.2024’, teasing a potential new era for the Chinese outfit.
Are Dan Ticktum and Sergio Sette Camara the right pair for ERT’s new era?
Drivers’ Ticktum and Sette Camara are believed to be retained for Season 11, thus completing the Formula E grid for the 2024/25 season.
This would mark the third consecutive year the duo have raced as teammates as the Chinese team go for continuity in the hopes they move further up the grid.
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Ticktum has been with the team since he joined FE in 2021/22 and after scoring just one point that year, the Brit grabbed seven points finishes the following year, but could still only manage 28 in total; his best so far.
Last season, Ticktum only registered one points finish with fourth at Misano, while Sette Camara was outscored by one point as ERT were glued to the bottom of the standings, 24 points behind Mahindra Racing.
While both Ticktum and Sette Camara have struggled in recent years, the potential switch to Porsche powertrain and a new identity could be the exciting boost the team are in desperate need of heading into next season.