Remember France’s
crazy Andros Trophy ice racing championship? Well, for the upcoming winter the
series will reinvent itself by going all-electric. Since only EVs will be
allowed on the ice-covered circuits, competitors have already started looking
for new rides. DA Racing is one of the first teams to announce its choice: the
new Renault Zoe. The French squad’s Jean-Baptiste Dubourg will drive a modified
Zoe in his bid to add amother title to the four he has already clinched.
Competing in the
Andros Trophy 2019-2020 will no doubt be a big challenge for the
battery-powered Renault Zoe, as during the races the cars have to deal with
temperatures that regularly dip below -15 Celsius. Furthermore,
the ice circuits located in seven of Europe’s top ski resorts often reach
altitudes of more than 2,000 meters.
This will put a big
strain on the Zoe’s batteries and powertrain, so it will definitely be
interesting to watch how they hold up. DA Racing will obviously need to make
plenty of modifications to the production vehicle, and development will start
in the coming weeks.
They will have to
move fast, though, as the first race will take place on December 7-8 at
Val-Thorens in the French Alps. Still, the team will benefit from Renault’s
assistance so things should go smoothly. Judging by the two renderings released
by DA Racing, the Zoe will get a widebody kit, new front and rear bumpers and
racing wheels shod with studded tires.
DA Racing will soon
reveal the livery of the Zoe ice racer, the partners associated with the
project, as well as its full driver lineup.
