Dragon Racing has confirmed that it will become a manufacturer and develop its own powertrain for the third FIA Formula E season, starting in the fall of 2016.
Dragon is currently the only team on the grid that is a customer to an existing manufacturer, enjoying a powertrain supply from the Venturi team.
For the second Formula E season, powertrain development was opened up and extended to the teams after all had used the same unit supplied by the series for its inaugural campaign.
Dragon has enjoyed a strong start to season two with the Venturi powertrain, but team boss and IndyCar driver Oriol Servia confirmed in Punta del Este that the team will develop its own for the 2016-2017 campaign.
“We just want to have full control of the car,” Servia said.
“At the moment we have been relying on Venturi, who have been great, but we want to be able to put our own package together and beat the rest.
“I’m happy with the drivers and with the changes that we made over the summer, with some hiring on the engineering side. If we keep running as we have been, we will get our chance.”
Jerome d’Ambrosio claimed the team’s first Formula E pole on Saturday in Punta del Este, locking out the front row of the grid alongside teammate Loic Duval.