'I back myself for sure' - Avalanche Andretti's Jake Dennis looking to become first British Formula E champion
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ByEurosport
Updated 26/01/2022 at 15:29 GMT
Having finished third in a fantastic rookie season, an achievement which might have been bettered had he not suffered a technical failure and hit the wall in a dramatic finale at the Tempelhof track in Berlin, Dennis is hoping 'to go two places better' this time around. Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins with a double header on 28 and 29 January, live on Eurosport 2.
Jake Dennis behind the wheel in a pre-season test at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia
Image credit: Getty Images
Avalanche Andretti’s Jake Dennis insists his expectation is for another title challenge following a stunning rookie year as he aims to become the first British winner of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
Season 8 begins on Friday with a night-race double header at the 2022 Diriyah E-Prix in what will be Formula E’s biggest season to date, featuring 16 races in 12 of the world’s most iconic cities including debuts in Vancouver, Seoul and Jakarta.
Dennis finished third in last season’s Championship and would have become not only the first British champion, but also the first rookie to win the title.
In a heartbreaking final twist however, the Nuneaton driver suffered a technical failure and speared into the wall on the outside of Turn 1 to end his challenge in a dramatic finale at the Tempelhof track in Berlin – ending the season third overall.
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Full course yellow as Jake Dennis crashes out after hitting into wall
Speaking ahead of the season opener, Dennis said last season’s frustrations have given him extra motivation to go two places better and finally end the UK’s wait for a British Formula E champion.
“Straight after Berlin it was pretty sour, but to finish third in the Championship made life a bit better for me,” he said. “Looking back now it is a positive, we had such a good season finishing third in a rookie year.
“But it has given me more drive to succeed this year, to go two places better. If we had won it in our first year, it would have been spectacular, but to try and top that would have been almost impossible. At least now we can try and build on last year’s success.
“I am confident [of becoming the first British winner of Formula E]. I back myself for sure, so let’s try and make that happen.”
The 26-year-old made headlines last season when he became just the second British driver to win a home race at the London E-Prix after Jaguar TCS Racing’s Sam Bird achieved the feat on the Battersea track in Season 2.
Dennis believes his performance at home and abroad has increased the expectation on his shoulders and, with the calendar returning to the ExCeL London for a double header on July 30 and 31, Dennis admits he would relish another victory at his home race.
“London was a successful track for me last season, if you are going to choose a race to win at of course you want it to be your home race, so if we can replicate last year that would be fantastic,” he added.
“I think people expect me to perform now, I’m putting expectation on myself. We have just got to try and do the best job we can with what we have got.”
The all-electric series has introduced a new qualifying method for Season 8 that uses a knockout format to determine who will take pole position for the race.
The format sees two groups of 11 drivers, ordered based on their Championship position, set lap times in a 10-minute session, with the fastest four from each progressing into the knockout where the winning driver takes pole.
“With the new qualifying format this year, it is less of a lottery and more of the fastest drivers at the front, which is good”, Dennis feels. “I think it will be more exciting for the fans seeing the best drivers battling it out first, second, third instead of at the back of the grid, as happened with the system last year. So, this step forward in the qualifying grid brings another element to the Championship.”
With more races, more fans tuning in and a Championship back bigger than ever before, the stage is set for Formula E to finally have a British champion at the eighth time of asking.
Season 8 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins with a double header on Friday 28 January and Saturday 29 January live on Eurosport 2 at 17:00 GMT.
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