Susie Wolff to lead Formula E team

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London, June 27: Susie Wolff will follow in her husband's footsteps after being named as team principal for the Venturi Formula E team next season.

The former F1 test driver and wife of Mercedes boss Toto will join the team – co-founded by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio – with immediate effect and begin planning for the 2018-19 campaign.

Wolff's team will have Felipe Massa at their disposal after he agreed a three-year deal in May, and represents her first step into motorsport management – something Toto has done in F1 since 2013.

"When I decided to stop as a professional driver in 2015, I knew that I wanted to continue with the challenge of competitive racing, just not behind the wheel," she said.

"You can't just switch off your competitive instincts when you stop driving and that determination and desire to achieve still burn brightly inside me. I took time to carefully decide the right direction for that challenge and I have now found the perfect next step.

"Formula E is the perfect environment for this step into team management: it is full of potential, breaking the mould for traditional racing series, and the series is enjoying an exciting phase of expansion at the moment.

"I can't wait to begin this next chapter in my racing career and to tackle all of the challenges ahead."

The final races of the current season will take place in New York in mid-July, with December seeing the start of the 2018-19 calendar.