Me꧂rcedes is anticipating a “steep learning curve” d꧙uring its maiden FIA Formula E campaign.

The German manufacturer, which has taken over the HWA Racelab team to make its FE debut in the upcoming 2019/20 season, endured a difficult three-day pre-season test at Valencia and is braced for a tough challenge in season six♐.

Reliability issues thwarted drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vriesꦐ across the test as the pair managed a combined total of 259 laps between them.

“The week got off to quite a challenging start, but fortunately we were able to round off the tests on Friday with a decent number of laps,” Merc🤡edes FE chief Ian 𒉰James said.

“We are currently having to cope with a steep learninඣg curve. But I am satisfied with how we have organised ourꦚ approach to Formula E.

“Now is the ideal time to enter the championship as a factory team. Of course, it helps that HWA RA𝓡CELAB already had their own involvement in season five.

“But I would say that the benefit is more on the operational side. This is actually quite important, because Formula E functions differently from other racing series, especially com💛pared to what we're familiar with in Formula 1 and the DTM.

“The one-day format plays a major role here. Formula E is quite unique: it's not the sort of series ♎where you turn up as a newcomer and run away with the championship.

“The previous season has given us some useful insight into Formula E, 🍌but if you're starting as the works team of a manufacturer, there are some significant differences that we have not encountered in the past year.”

Mercedes is joined by fellowꦗ German giants Porsche as new entrants to the series in season six.

Jame♛s believes the ultra-competitive natur꧅e of FE will make it more difficult for Mercedes to find a competitive edge over its rivals, unlike in F1.

“In this sport, there ar♛e some aspects that are absolutely unique to Formula E,” he added.

“If we look at what Mercedes has achieved in Formula 1, in the DTM anꦏd in other series, there has always been one common factor, namely an internal combustion ಞengine.

“You can, of course, see the power unit we use in Formula E as some kind of larger MGU-K from Formula 1 [Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic: stores and releases kinetic energy from b🉐raking]🐈.

“But uꦜltimately, it has to work in a completely different way, because there is no internal ꦉcombustion engine in Formula E.

“In this context, we have learnt that the software plays a key role. It's all about understanding the nuances of the software and its developmꦓent.

“I wouldn't say that this came as a surprise for us, but it's🙈 definitely a different challenge from the sort we've been up against in other racing seri🍌es in the past.”