René Rast will be on two tracks in 2023. After moving to BMW, his involvement with McLaren has now also become public.
“I’m overjoyed and of course really proud to be able to compete for two such strong brands,” says Rast. “I’ve had an incredible time with Audi and I’m very grateful for all the moments and successes. Now it’s time to reposition yourself. With BMW and McLaren, I have two partners with top-class motorsport programs at my side.”
In the 2020/21 season, Rast finished 13th, but also finished on the podium twice. “The involvement with McLaren is very special for me in many ways,” he explains. “I’ve already driven a whole season in Formula E and felt like I wasn’t done yet. In addition, McLaren is a household name for every racing fan. It’s an honor for me to drive there.”
The fact that Rast has two contracts with two different manufacturers is a novelty. His manager Dennis Rostek first had to convince him of that. Rostek: “At first he didn’t really want to believe me how the idea with two manufacturers could work. But the idea became the incentive for us to take the project into our own hands.”
Rast replaces World Champion Stoffel Vandoorne in McLaren’s new Formula E team. “René has proven his racing skills time and time again in every series he has participated in,” praises team boss Ian James. “He is not only extremely fast, but also consistent and has valuable previous experience in Formula E, which will be of great benefit to both the team and himself.”
