The Audi e-tron FE05 is ready to do battle in Formula E

In three months time, the first Formula E race contested without a mandatory car-swap will whir and shriek its way into life around the streets of Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Among the field will be this: the new Audi e-tron FE05. It’s Audi’s take on the latest Formula E racer, and thanks to new McLaren batteries with more range, no longer requires the drivers to swap cars halfway through the race.

Ah yes, the drivers. Daniel Abt and 2016/17 FE champ Lucas di Grassi will handle driving duties for the Audi effort. Which, to give it its full name, is the Audi Sport Schaeffler ABT Formula E Team. Wonder why they’re not using an acronym?

Don’t they look cheerful? Goofing around and generally having a fun time posing. Maybe Formula E is taking a leaf out of Daniel Ricciardo’s joke book and going for the Fun Driver niche. Can’t have enough of those in motorsport. Except you, Kimi. Never change.

Though Formula E cars are largely identical and built to spec, for this season the manufacturers are able to build their own drivetrain systems. Audi says 95 per cent of the FE05's not-oily bits are new, and its engineers shaved ten per cent off the weight. The car was homologated back in July and now can’t be changed, save for software tweaks. So, if it overheats on lap one, it’ll be a long season for di Grassi and Abt.

The car’s motor develops 269bhp in race trim, but is boosted to 335bhp in qualifying, and during the FanBoost party piece voted for by viewers. Audi says the 900kg car can go from 0-62mph in 3.1sec and top out at 150mph.

Mostly though, it looks cool. The new FE field is going to be an angry-looking collection of racecars. “When I head out onto the racetrack with the other cars, I feel like I’m in a science fiction movie,” says Daniel Abt. “Compared to its predecessor, the new model has a considerably more aggressive design.”

And as you can see in the gallery, he’s delighted about it. Are you?