Image source, Getty Images

1. Qualifying could be crucial: The whole podium in Santiago last year came from the first two rows of qualifying. Sam Bird came from fourth on the grid to win and Pascal Wehrlein and Daniel Abt held on to their second and third spots from qualifying. The 2018 race had the three top places on the grid taking podium spots.

2. It's a circuit that can be tough on cars: Eight cars failed to make it to the end of last season's Santiago race and six ended with a DNF next to their name in 2018. In addition, Santiago's hairpin has caused plenty of awkward moments for drivers. Sebastien Buemi, who led the race from pole last season, had to to retire after hitting a wall. Throw in expected track temperatures of 45C and you have a race to be reckoned with.

3. It's a good track for Sam Bird: The Brit will fancy his chances of improving on his current third place in the championship when he returns to the Chilean capital. Bird won last year's race with a patient drive and took 11 points from the 2018 race for fifth place and the fastest lap.

4. Home advantage means little: The two previous editions in Chile have seen just two of four drivers from South America score points - and only 10 points in total. The best was Nelson Piquet Jnr's sixth-place finish in 2018, with Jose Maria Lopez managing ninth last season. Other than that, Felipe Massa had a DNF last year and so did Lopez and Lucas Di Grassi in 2018. Surely their luck must change?

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Lynn has returned to Panasonic Jaguar’s stable as a test and reserve driver for the rest of the season, replacing Ho-Pin Tung.

The former Virgin driver raced for Jaguar in the 2019 season, recording a seventh-place finish in the Bern E-Prix as a replacement for Nelson Piquet Jnr. The team opted to sign James Calado at the start of this season.

Lynn, 26, also drives in World Endurance Championship, as does Calado, leaving the team with a possible clash with the Sanya E-Prix in March, which comes the day after the Sebring Endurance race .

"Alex is not only a very talented and accomplished driver, he also has valuable experience in Formula E and a great relationship with our team,” said Jaguar team manager James Barclay, whose team is currently in its fourth season in Formula E.

Drivers:

1. Alexander Sims (GB) BMW Andretti 35pts

2. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL) Mercedes 30

3. Sam Bird (GB) Envision Virgin 26

4. Oliver Rowland (GB) Nissan E.Dams 22

5= Andre Lotterer (GER) Porsche 18

5= Edoardo Mortara (SWI) Venturi 18

5= Lucas Di Grassi (BRZ) Audi Abt Sport 18

8. Robin Frijns (NED) Envision Virgin 10

9= Nyck De Vries (NED) Mercedes 8

9= Daniel Abt (GER) Audi Abt Sport 8

Constructors:

1. Mercedes38pts

2. Envision Virgin36

3. BMW Andretti 35

4. Audi Abt Sport 26

5. Nissan 22

6= Porsche 18

6= Venturi 18

Image source, Get

It was a great weekend for the Brits in Saudi Arabia as Sam Bird and Alexander Sims won the first and second races of the season respectively in a Diriyah double-header.

Envision Virgin’s Bird took the chequered flag in the first race after reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne was forced to retire with steering troubles.

Sims, who started both races on pole, took the honours in the second race despite crossing the line behind his BMW Andretti team-mate Max Gunther, who was penalised for overtaking behind a safety car.

Sims now leads the Championship ahead of former Formula 1 star Stoffel Vandoorne, who is eight points behind, and Bird who sits one point further back.

Santiago, Chile, is the second stop of the 2019-20 Formula E season following the curtain-raising double-header in Ad-Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

London is set to host the finale season with another double-header in July 2020.

Live coverage of every race will be available to watch across the BBC Red Button, Connected TV, BBC Sport website, mobile app and the BBC iPlayer.

Saturday 18 January

10:55-11:55 - Free practice 1, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website & app

13:10-13:55 - Free practice 2, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website & app

14:45-16:45 - Qualifying, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app

18:00-20:30 - Race, BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport website & app

Motorsport's cleanest racing series is in to its sixth season as Formula E action arrives in Santiago, Chile.

The new season features 14 races in 12 cities on four continents spread over nine months. All the races will be available live and free-to-air on BBC online platforms.

France's Jean-Eric Vergne has won the past two editions of the championship but faces a fresh challenge with German manufacturing giants Mercedes and Porsche joining a series that last year produced nine different winners from 13 races.

Formula E was launched back in 2014 with sustainability in mind, and organisers saying the aim was to "reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible".

To achieve this, cars are powered by a battery that is made with 100% renewable fuel, and tyres that, as well as lasting an entire race, can also be recycled afterwards. Spectators are encouraged to use public transport to get to events, with no public car parking available.

Image source, Getty Images

Jean-Eric Vergne became the first double Formula E champion at the season finale in New York after two title rivals crashed on the final lap.

Going into this race, Mitch Evans and Lucas Di Grassi were championship contenders, and both needed at least a race win to claim the title - but Di Grassi attempted to overtake Evans running them both into the wall.

Robin Frijns claimed the race victory, while Alexander Sims, and Sebastien Buemi finished in second and third.

Image source, Getty Images

22 Nov: Diriyah (Saudi Arabia) – won by Sam Bird (GB, Envision Virgin)

23 Nov: Diriyah (Saudi Arabia) – won by Alexander Sims (GB, BMW Andretti)

18 Jan: Santiago (Chile)

15 Feb: Mexico City (Mexico)

Feb 29: Marrakesh (Morocco)

Mar 21: Sanya (China)

Apr 4: Rome (Italy)

Apr 18: Paris (France)

May 3: Seoul (South Korea)

Jun 6: Jakarta (Indonesia)

Jun 21: Berlin (Germany)

Jul 11: New York (USA)

Jul 25: London (GB)

Jul 26: London (GB)

BBC Sport

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