THE SILENT COUP

Mercedes made a rod for its own back as the hybrid rules arrived in Formula 1. Bearing in mind the scale and sustained nature of its grand prix dominance, any subsequent factory motorsport effort – especially one underpinned by High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth – would be measured against this yardstick. Whether propelled by combustion or kilowatts, the Three-Pointed Star was expected to come up trumps. Formula E was a case in point.

Back in October 2016, when Toto Wolff announced Mercedes’ intention to join the grid, the championship had positioned itself well. Formula E had survived economic fragility and a potential team walkout in its inaugural 2014-15 campaign, when co-founder Alejandro Agag was briefly sacked by his investors. It was just about navigating a tricky third year where races were never far from cancellation. But, above all, it had very successfully tapped into the automotive zeitgeist. Ever-tightening legislation and the emissions scandal meant OEMs were banging at the door in their bid to align with the changing times.

Daimler was among those to have