Buemi to miss WEC Prologue for Mexico Formula E

The Swiss driver is obliged to be at Toyota’s LMP1 launch on Friday March 31, but is allowed to miss the Monza test that follows that weekend to compete in Mexico on Saturday for the Renault e.dams team.

Buemi will arrive in Mexico City early on race day morning, which means he will have to sign on late and miss the drivers’ briefing and Friday’s shakedown, but will be able to take part in practice barring any delays.

He told Motorsport.com's sister title Autosport: “Toyota don’t want to block me if there is a solution – it’s a normal test day and not a must to be there.

“It’s not easy because I’m going tp land at 4am on Saturday morning, but I have the opportunity to do the race and maybe not lose the championship.”

Though he admitted the overnight flight was “not optimal” for his Mexico preparations, Buemi said: “I’m not going to find excuses if it doesn’t go well.

“In Argentina and Mexico last year I arrived last minute and I was on the podium, it’s not impossible.”

Buemi is due to miss the New York double-header because his Toyota LMP1 commitments at the clashing Nurburgring WEC round take priority.

“I know at the moment the FIA is pushing very hard to make no clash in New York and I would expect the FIA to find a solution,” he said of the situation.

“In all honesty I struggle to understand how we can’t find a way to avoid clashes – it’s a total of 20 weekends we have to fit in 48 or 49 weeks.

“If they don’t, hopefully if I concentrate maybe by the time I get to New York we can have the opportunity to fight for the title still.”

Lopez set for overnight dash to Mexico

Buemi’s Renault e.dams teammate Nico Prost has a WEC LMP2 programme with the Rebellion team, but is believed to be travelling to Mexico on a normal schedule. Ferrari GT driver Sam Bird is also understood to be clear to compete in Mexico for DS Virgin Racing.

Bird’s FE teammate Jose Maria Lopez has agreed to join Toyota’s LMP1 programme for 2017, and will therefore have to attend the Friday launch before making the overnight flight to Mexico.

The same will apply to Venturi's Stephane Sarrazin if he remains involved with the Japanese marque as part of a possible third car line-up.