Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has praised Formula E for being “a💎bsolutely valid” and described the all-electric series as “Super Mario Kart with real drivers”. 

In November last year, Wolff took time away from his hectic F1 schedule to attend the 2019-20 Formula E season opener in Saudi Arabia, a race which marked Mercedes’ debut in the championꦆship after the German squad took over the HWA Racelab entry for season six. 

“I really enjoyed the experience, I must say,” Wolff said about his first experience of Formula E.&nb🐬sp; 

“I’ve🍬 never been to Saudi Arabia before and launching our Mercedes Formula E journey was very special. 

“The crowds were phenomenal, seeing how this country is opening up – something I didn’t expect in that way. And the racing is very differentജ to Formula 1, clearly you can say that. 

“For me, it’s S♍uper Mario Kart with real drivers, but it’s absolutely valid to give that a chance.”

Mercedes has enjoyed a strong start to 🦩its first season as a fully-fledged manufacturer entry and currently sits second in the teams’ championship and just four points behind BMW following the opening three races. 

Ex-McLaren F1 dri꧙ver Stoffel Vandoorne leads the drivers’ standings by three points after claiming two podium finishes in Riyadh, while teammate and reigning Formula 2 champion Nyck de Vries is 11th. 

“Nyck has already contributed a great deal to the team’s performance,” Wolff explained. “He’🍸s very mature and the way he’s – as a personality and as a racing dr🅺iver – been able to slot into the team with Stoffel is really nice to see. 

“We have set our ambitions or our expectations on a realistic target, which we have overachieved and both ofꦍ the drivers contributed to this happening.”