Smart mobility is the pillar of Helmond under the Brainport region. Creator of the future, the city calls itself. And that has not least to do with the thriving Automotive Campus. That’s where science and companies bring out the best in each other. This has created an ecosystem that can place itself among the best in Europe. Every reason for the municipality to stand up for Formula E.
Alderman Antoinette Maas (sustainability, mobility and culture) sees a unique opportunity to bring Helmond’s economic profile closer to the people. People who want to settle there with their business, people who want to get an education there and especially the people who live there. Because automotive is definitely sexy, but not all people from Helmond recognize it as an important part of their city.
“That’s why we’re going to use the event to put the whole city in the spotlight. The race is in Eindhoven, but Helmond will also be turned upside down for a week.
We will show the world that a lot of R&D in the field of mobility is made in Helmond. Lightyear is of course a good example, which we are very proud of, but the support base is much broader: start-ups, grown-ups, knowledge institutes and unprecedented facilities, such as the real-life test-highway A270.”
For Maas, Formula E in the Brainport region is a success if the city embraces it. That’s the biggest goal. That’s why she thinks it’s essential that the event returns annually. “Then it gets the chance to ground. I see it not only as motor sport, but as a symbol of our metropolitan region. A happening that gets everyone going, with numerous side events.
Message: This is the future and we make it.”