Mercedes are a winning machine and are now trying to do to Formula E what they have done to F1.
That's the verdict of Ian James, the man leading the Silver Arrows' electric revolution under the watchful eye of Toto Wolff.
Mercedes defied the odds to take third place in their inaugural Formula E series last year and just a few months later head into Saturday's Puebla E-Prix in Mexico top of the constructors' championship.
Former F2 champion Nyck De Vries and ex-McLaren F1 star Stoffel Vandoorne have claimed victory in three of the seven races so far this season - despite the series being dubbed one of the most unpredictable in the world.
James is leading the project after stepping out of the shadows at Mercedes to become a pivotal figure at the front of one of their two world championship teams.
The 43-year-old, who is a graduate of Coventry University, was instrumental in the reintroduction of KERS in F1 in 2011, leading to Mercedes’ first race win since 1955. He was also behind the development of the power units that led to the 2014 and 2015 world titles and subsequent success that followed.
He said: "If you look back at what we achieved in season six (2020), we were third in the constructors' championship. We would never sit there and say that we would have expectations below that, so I think that gives you a good idea of what we're aiming for this year.
"We know we have a competitive package in the car, we know we have got two phenomenal drivers and we know we have a team now that has hit their stride and come into their own.
"When you put all that together and you can deal with those curveballs that are thrown at you and also get a bit of luck too, anything is possible."
James has spent over 15 years at Mercedes - living in Stuttgart and Alabama, as well as learning the German language on the job - and is inspired every day by the legacy of the three-pronged star.
That mindset is inspired by the success of Lewis Hamilton and it sets the tone of winning at all costs in all of Mercedes' brands.
James said: "We often talk about the no-blame culture that we have and how we can openly talk about the mistakes that we make and I think to have Lewis, or Toto, or Valtteri (Bottas), or anyone on the F1 side that we can benchmark against, that helps us as a team to be be stronger as well.
"I think that over the last few years, we have struck the right balance between having our own identity as the Mercedes Benz EQ Formula E team but at the same time, cherry-picked the best bits of the wider motorsport organisation."
James has an experienced eye looking over his work as Wolff is often on the phone in between his F1 commitments.
"He has always been to a couple of the events this year which has been fantastic," James said.
"It's one thing talking over the phone but it's another thing having the experience and being there first hand.
"You need to have someone with those levels of expertise and knowledge to be able to bounce ideas off, regardless of whether things are going well or not so well.
"He has such a broad overview and understanding of the sport that for me personally has been a real advantage for me."
