The third season of the FIA Formula E Championship is set to kick off this weekend in Hong Kong with American squad MS Amlin Andretti eagerly awaiting the season ahead.

Hong Kong is one of a number of new races on the calendar for this year which also includes events in Brussels, Montreal and New York City for the first time.

MS Amlin Andretti enters the year on a high after having recently confirmed a two-year “cooperation” with BMW. Their pair of Formula E electric racers now feature some BMW branding and works driver António Félix da Costa has joined the squad.

“It felt like a short off-season, to be honest, which is a good thing. And obviously to be busy with the other championship, it’s like never time off, which is good as a race driver,” said the new Andretti recruit.

“Now, being here in Hong Kong, having visited the city for a day, it’s really a special place and we have to be quite honored to have this venue as a kick off point. So, really excited to get started again with a new team and a new teammate.”

MS Amlin Andretti’s Robin Frijns returns for his second season at the team. The Dutchman is pleased to welcome his new teammate to the American squad.

“I’m looking forward for the season, driving for the same team as last year but with a new powertrain and a new teammate, a really challenging teammate, also a good friend of mine which I’ve known for a couple of years,” Frinjs said.

“New season, new beginnings, so we don’t know exactly where we are in the standings, but we’ll see that after quali and then we’ll work from there.”

Both da Costa and Frinjs are exciting about the recently announced New York ePrix – a chance for the American squad to race less than 100 miles from where the Andretti family is from in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

“I think it’s going to be a good race for the world of motorsport. I think we can put it that big. And then obviously for us, being an American team and racing on American soil is very important,” da Costa said.

“I mean, I love Americans and the way they approach sports in general so I’m really happy to be part of the team and I think it’ll be a special weekend for sure.”

The city may have once been known as New Amsterdam, but for Dutchman Frinjs, he is well aware of the importance of the US round for the team.

“Driving for an American team on American soil, it’s going be an important race weekend for us,” Frinjs said.

“But we do the best we can on each race weekend we’re driving for so let’s wait and see.”