The 2023 season of Formula E kicked off in Mexico with all the drama and spectacle that has become synonymous with the all-electric series. And with Cape Town on the calendar just a few races later, all eyes were on what to expect from the event.

What one could not have expected, though, is that a South African would be part of the cohort of 22 drivers descending on the streets of the Mother City.

When the year began, Joburg-born Kelvin van der Linde was registered as a reserve driver for team ABT Cupra. His role includes simulator work with a chance of stepping into a car on race day in the unlikely event that one of the team’s full-time drivers are unable to. 

And in a twist of fate, that is exactly what happened.

In 2020, Van der Linde had his first taste of electric racing during the Formula E rookie test day in Marrakech.

“I drove out the pitlane and my first feeling was ‘wow’ – I’d never driven anything with an electric powertrain before,” he remembers.

Come 2023, Van der Linde had his next opportunity, making his Formula E race debut for his team and deputising for Robin Frijns while the Dutch driver recovered from a hand injury sustained in the Mexico City season opener.

When Van der Linde took the track for the first time, he made history as the first driver from South Africa – and Africa – to compete in the electric championship. 

“Being the first African driver in FE is very special and I hope it will help break down more boundaries for future African drivers to achieve the same,” he told Daily Maverick at the time.

New challenge

A few tests three years ago could not prepare him for racing now, though, and Formula E has just introduced a new iteration of their racing cars – completely different to the car Van der Linde tested in Marrakech.

These cars are faster, lighter and carry much more power – Van der Linde says that behind the wheel, the difference between the 2020 and 2023 cars is instantly tangible.

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He explains that the instant power from the powertrain, combined with the Formula E street circuit layout that puts the drivers close to the walls at every corner, made for an entirely different ride from what he had experienced before.

Kelvin van der Linde will turn out for the ABT Cupra Formula E Team in Cape Town. (Photo supplied by Formula E – Andrew Ferraro)

“Everything feels a lot faster when you’re sitting inside the car, you’re so low to the ground… You don’t have the same kind of peripheral vision as you do in a GT car, so it was very difficult the first couple of laps.”

Van der Linde compares his experience to a GT car based on his experience in endurance and grand tourer racing, where the South African has made a name for himself as the youngest ADAC GT Masters Champion yet at just 18 and achieving victories at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, the Suzuka 10 Hours and more.

Formula E though is a different beast altogether. Another adjustment he has noted is how much strain the drivers take on the track.

“This car is extremely physical to drive; I completely underestimated it. And to be brutally honest, I was probably unprepared for it,” he admits.

“In Formula E, we don’t have power steering. So, all of the steering forces that we experience are absolutely raw. On street circuits, you have the bumps, you have the curb riding, and all of these forces are coming through our arms and through our shoulders and chest.

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“It’s a massive challenge. Now to top that, we’ve got the regeneration power on the front axle… [so] it’s a lot heavier because you have drive shafts coming through the front.”

This all makes physical preparation even more important, and Van der Linde notes that he has had to “up his game” in the gym, focusing not only on the endurance needed to sustain him through a full race, but also to bulk up and build strength.

No easy ride

On the grid, it has not been an easy ride for Van der Linde either, as he has been forced to make sense of a new car developed with new regulations and no pre-season testing experience before being called up.

He has also joined a team that only recently returned to Formula E after a year’s hiatus. While Audi Sport ABT competed in – and won – the first Formula E race in 2014, the team departed from the series in season seven. They returned for season nine as ABT Cupra, a privateer team.

“We are new to the software, we are new to the hardware. There are a lot of things we have to adapt to,” Mark Schneider, PR manager for ABT Cupra Formula E explains.

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Van der Linde has, in true South African spirit, risen to the challenge. Being able to adapt “as quickly as possible” is what “racing is all about”, he says.

There is undoubtedly still work to be done, and there is still an entire season ahead for the team. For Van der Linde, though, his time filling in for Frijns is likely to end in Cape Town, and the South African plans to make the most of every moment, on and off the track.

“Formula E is so unpredictable,” he says, but believes the Cape Town E-Prix is going to be a thrilling race for fans and drivers alike.

Kelvin van der Linde of Team ABT Sportsline during the DTM test at Hockenheimring in Germany on 5 April 2022. (Photo: Christian Kaspar-Bartke / Getty Images)

“The Cape Town circuit is extremely, extremely fast. On the simulator, we’re reaching higher speeds than we have anywhere else in the calendar.

“There are parts of the track which, I have to say, from a driver’s perspective, are very, very scary. I’ve never actually felt scared in a racecar before, I think this weekend might be the first… And I think that’s part of the spectacle,” he laughingly notes.

“In terms of performance, we know we have a lot of work to do. So, to be realistic, I think if we’re somewhere in the midfield and can mix it up and try to fight for points, that’ll be great… Just breaking into the top 10 would be a magic moment.

“We haven’t scored any points yet as a team. So, if I could be the first one to score some points for ABT Cupra, that would be a big benchmark for everyone.

“Of course, the home advantage is at least a couple of tenths per lap – I’ll take that happily.” DM