Buemi brings Renault home glory in Paris

Sébastien Buemi has extended his championship lead yet further with pole position and a commanding victory on his Renault team’s home soil in Paris.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Qatar Airways Paris ePrix, France.
Saturday 20 May 2017.
Sebastien Buemi (SUI), Renault e.Dams, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16, sprays the chanpagne on the podium after winning the race.
Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _X0W5897

The Swiss driver became this season’s first repeat polesitter earlier on Saturday, narrowly seeing off the challenge of Jean-Éric Vergne by just six-thousandths of a second. Behind them a resurgent José María López qualified third for DS Virgin ahead of Super Pole first-timer Esteban Gutiérrez, who started from the second row thanks to a motor change penalty that demoted Oliver Turvey from fourth to fourteenth on the grid.

At the race start Buemi used his pole advantage to hold the inside line against Vergne, as the Frenchman tried to seize the lead around the outside of Turn 1 but was forced to back off and settle into second.

With the momentum lost so early, Vergne then seemed to stall—as Buemi streaked off into a three second lead, Vergne was unable to keep check and appeared to even be holding up López and Nick Heidfeld, who had taken fourth from Gutiérrez off the line.

Further back, Daniel Abt made heady progress from sixteenth on the grid to twelfth despite picking up some slight contact damage in the first corner, whilst Felix Rosenqvist looked to follow in the tracks of his teammate as he put pressure on Gutiérrez for fifth.

Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Saturday 20 May 2017.
Daniel Abt (GER), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02.
World Copyright: Steven Tee/LAT Images
ref: Digital Image _R3I3631

In the early stages the race settled into something of a procession, as the four more laps than last year’s Paris ePrix put energy saving on the teams’ minds.

But on lap 20 there was heavy contact between Lucas di Grassi and António Félix da Costa at Turn 7. Di Grassi—fighting in the lower points after a poor qualifying performance—was closing an out-braking move on da Costa for thirteenth, but when he moved across to claim the apex of the corner, da Costa’s nose was still alongside and the two entangled cars dragged each other into the barriers.

Although di Grassi was able to keep going, da Costa’s race was over and his beached Andretti triggered a full-course yellow.

So close to the halfway mark, most drivers opted to pit during the neutralised period to change cars. Initially the timing appeared to be a boon for di Grassi, with the stop negating any damage suffered in the crash with da Costa, but instead it only added to his troubles—after leaving the pits almost ten seconds below the minimum stop time, race control shortly handed di Grassi a drive-through penalty.

Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Saturday 20 May 2017.
Antonio Felix da Costa (PRT), Amlin Andretti, Spark-Andretti, ATEC-02.
World Copyright: Steven Tee/LAT Images
ref: Digital Image _R3I2891

When racing resumed on lap 23, Buemi found his gap to Vergne had been slashed to under two seconds in the pits and, with a series of fast laps, the Frenchman rapidly set about reeling in the race leader.

But on lap 34 an apparent steering issue left Vergne’s Techeetah unable to make the exit of Turn 13, and for the second race in succession he found himself exiting the car early as the safety car was deployed.

Vergne’s retirement left second place to be inherited by López, improving what was already his best-ever Formula E result, and brought Heidfeld into position to repeat his podium finish from Monaco last week.

But as far as the race lead was concerned, neither driver was close enough to assume Vergne’s pursuit of Buemi, and so when the chequered flag fell on lap 49 the podium positions remained unchanged.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Qatar Airways Paris ePrix, France.
Saturday 20 May 2017.
Jose Maria Lopez (ARG), DS Virgin Racing, Spark-Citroen, Virgin DSV-02.
Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _W6I8285

 

There was more drama late in the race when di Grassi crashed out, bringing his unusually below-par weekend to a premature end. With his drive-through penalty already putting pay to any major points haul, the ABT team elected to call di Grassi back into the pits and retune his car for a fastest lap attempt—only for the Brazilian to put it in the barrier at Turn 8 just two laps from the end.

The resulting safety car meant the race result was sealed, and by taking pole and the win whilst his rival failed to finish Buemi extended his title lead to 43 points over di Grassi, the largest it’s been all season.

Renault e.Dams also extended its lead over ABT Schaeffler Audi to 75 points: with Nico Prost’s fifth place contributing to Renault’s biggest total points haul of the season, the gulf was widened even more when seventh-placed Daniel Abt broke down on the final lap and dropped out of the points altogether.

Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Saturday 20 May 2017.
Daniel Abt (GER), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02.
World Copyright: Steven Tee/LAT Images
ref: Digital Image _R3I3631

Mahindra also took a solid team finish with Felix Rosenqvist following Heidfeld home in fourth, which now puts them within 27 points of ABT in the teams’ standings. Robin Frijns took Andretti’s first points since Hong Kong in sixth, and Nelson Piquet claimed more valuable points for NextEV in seventh.

Gutiérrez had been on course to claim at least a few consolatory points for Techeetah despite losing several places early in the race, but a five-second time penalty for speeding under full-course yellow meant the Mexican was classified in twelfth place instead.

But Techeetah’s pain meant pleasure for the teams at the bottom of the championship. After a strong home race in Monaco, Venturi logged a double points finish with Stéphane Sarrazin in tenth and Tom Dillmann, making his series debut standing in for Maro Engel, taking his first Formula E points in eighth. Mitch Evans finished in ninth place between them—his and Jaguar’s third points finish in a row, which elevates the British marque to eighth in the teams’ standings above Dragon Racing.

James Matthews, Deputy Editor

Buemi reigns in Monaco

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Saturday 13 May 2017.
Sebastien Buemi (SUI), Renault e.Dams, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16.
Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image 585A1174

 

Sébastien Buemi has extended his championship lead by taking a commanding victory from pole in the 2017 Monaco ePrix.

The Swiss driver came into the event with much to prove, following a difficult last round in Mexico City, and immediately reestablished himself by topping both practice sessions before becoming the season’s fifth different polesitter in as many races.

From there, he rarely had cause to look back—a good start off the line saw off any challenge into Sainte Devote from front row rival Lucas di Grassi, and over the course of the opening stint he set about building up a five-second gap back to the rest of the pack.

Behind Buemi, Mexico City winner di Grassi settled into a rhythm in second place, whilst third became a hotly-contested duel between Nelson Piquet and Jean-Éric Vergne. Maro Engel, who qualified an impressive fifth in Venturi’s home ePrix, lost out to Nick Heidfeld at the start, as did Heidfeld’s teammate Felix Rosenqvist. Further back, Stéphane Sarrazin stalled on the grid and fell to the back of the field.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Saturday 13 May 2017.
Maro Engel (GER), Venturi, Spark-Venturi, Venturi VM200-FE-02.
Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _X0W0950

Piquet and Vergne continued to fight for position right from the off, but as the race approached its halfway mark their battle was brought to an abrupt halt.

Vergne had been making several attempts to pass Piquet around the outside of the Nouvelle Hairpin and appeared to finally make the move stick on lap 21, only to make contact with the NextEV on the exit of the corner and be forced into the barriers.

Piquet was able to continue on back to the pits, albeit after losing third place to Heidfeld, but Vergne’s race was over—to make matters worse, the Frenchman also picked up an injury to his right hand, which could hurt his chances in next weekend’s Paris ePrix.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Saturday 13 May 2017.
Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA), Techeetah, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16, walks back the pits.
Photo: Malcolm Griffiths/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image MALC2047

Their accident triggered a safety car, which in turn caused a flurry of action in the pits as the entire field stopped within the first few neutralised laps.

On lap 26 the race resumed, and Buemi launched into a second’s advantage over di Grassi almost straight away. But this time, the Renault driver was unable to leave his main rival completely in his mirrors, and in the closing laps di Grassi managed to slash the gap down to mere tenths.

Formula E

However, despite forcing Buemi to defend through the Swimming Pool complex on the final lap, di Grassi was unable to find a way through and prevent Buemi taking his fourth victory in five races.

Nick Heidfeld finished some thirteen seconds behind in the third place he inherited from Nelson Piquet, taking his second podium of the season, whilst Piquet himself recovered from his contact with Vergne to take fourth.

Maro Engel fought off a resolute challenge from Felix Rosenqvist to cross the line in fifth, his best result in Formula E so far. Daniel Abt battled his way into the top ten after a disappointing qualifying to finish seventh, and Esteban Gutiérrez continued his profitable start in Formula E by taking four points in eighth, somewhat consoling Techeetah for Vergne’s retirement.

António Félix da Costa originally returned Andretti to the points for the first time since Hong Kong by finishing ninth, but was penalised for an unsafe release and dropped back to eleventh in the final classification. This promoted Nico Prost to ninth, and gifted the final point to Jaguar’s Mitch Evans.

Dragon and DS Virgin both endured torrid afternoons with both of their respective duos joining Vergne in retirement, although Sam Bird did manage to bring home a single point for his team by setting the fastest lap.

https://youtu.be/w7qIpKL5Vao

James Matthews, Deputy Editor

2017 Monaco ePrix Preview

Six weeks ago in Mexico City the Formula E Championship was treated to one of the most enthralling races in its brief history. NextEV’s Oliver Turvey led the field away after the stewards sent original polesitter Daniel Abt to the back of the grid, only to break down early on and surrender the lead to José María López; but when the pit stops came around it was Lucas di Grassi in front, having leapfrogged the field with a remarkably brave early strategy call, and the Brazilian eventually came home to take his first win of the season.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Aut—dromo Hermanos Rodr’guez, Mexico City, Mexico
Saturday 1 April 2017.
Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02.
Photo: Sam BloxhamLAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _J6I7741

Now the 2016–17 championship begins its European leg, a four-race stretch beginning this weekend on the streets of Monte Carlo.

This will be the second running of the Monaco ePrix—the event not featuring last season after forming part of the sport’s inaugural calendar in 2015. Of the twenty drivers who contested that first race around the principality, twelve are returning in 2017, including ten of the eleven previous points scorers.

One such driver who will be hoping to repeat his previous Monaco ePrix result is Sébastien Buemi. Up until the chequered flag fell in Mexico City, Buemi had been known as “runaway championship leader”, but an off-colour fourteenth-place finish for the Swiss driver saw his title lead slashed to just five points by di Grassi’s win.

It will be a boon, then, for Buemi to reset and return to an event he not only won last time around, but dominated from pole position. Another such win on Saturday would be the perfect way for the defending champion to put his difficult Mexico weekend behind him and reassert his authority over the title race.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Saturday 1 April 2017.
Sebastien Buemi (SUI), Renault e.Dams, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _56I5814

Also on the lookout for a strong finish in Monaco will be Nico Prost and Daniel Abt. With their respective teammates contesting the Formula E title, both drivers have been left somewhat in the shadow this season, but with consistent results in the four races so far neither should be discounted from the sharp end of the grid this weekend.

So too will Jaguar be hoping for another visit to top ten on Saturday after securing its first points in Formula E last time out. Admittedly the competition from NextEV, Andretti and Dragon will be tough to overcome a second time running, but the British marque can take some hope from the success its two drivers have had around the principality—one win and three podiums between them—throughout their respective junior formula careers.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico
Friday 31 March 2017.
Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _J6I6362

At the other end of the spectrum are Mahindra and DS Virgin. Although both teams have taken two podiums each from the opening four races, their overall results have been variable at best; a double points haul on Saturday—and another podium if possible—will be crucial for either outfit if they are to close the gap to the front and avoid being overhauled for third by Techeetah.

However, DS Virgin may already be on the back foot this weekend—after sustaining vertebrae damage in a heavy crash during the 6 Hours of Silverstone, López may be forced to sit out the Monaco ePrix on medical grounds. The team does have reserve driver Alex Lynn on standby, but any late substitution is far from ideal at a circuit such as Monte Carlo.

Similarly, there could well be another fresh face in the Andretti garage as well, as a knee injury for Robin Frijns has brought the possibility that the Dutchman’s car could instead be piloted by BMW GT and Andretti development driver Alexander Sims. However, Frijns has insisted that his plan is still to race on Saturday, providing his injury does not hamper him changing into his second car.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico
Friday 31 March 2017.
Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _J6I6116

And finally, if any team is hungrier than the rest for a solid performance in Monaco this weekend, it has to be Venturi. Coming into their home event, the team currently sits well adrift at the bottom of the standings on just three points, thirteen behind ninth-placed Jaguar.

Various mechanical and electrical problems have so far blighted Venturi’s running in season three—contributing to retirements for Maro Engel in each of the last three races in succession—but with a little luck on home soil both he and Stéphane Sarrazin are more than capable of bringing home a top ten finish for the Monegasque team.

James Matthews, Deputy Editor

All images courtesy of FIA Formula E

Paris ePrix: Venturi confirm Dillmann as Engel stand-in

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico
Friday 31 March 2017.
Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _J6I5979

 

 

Venturi has confirmed that Tom Dillmann will make his Formula E race debut standing in for Maro Engel at the Paris ePrix, as their regular driver contests a clashing DTM round at the Lausitzring.

This follows Dillmann, the reigning Formula V8 3.5 champion, getting his first taste of Formula E machinery during the Mexico City ePrix weekend, when he deputised in shakedown for Stephane Sarrazin whilst the latter attended the WEC Prologue.

Furthermore, Venturi will continue Dillmann’s acclimatisation to Formula E ahead of his race debut by running him in one of the team’s in-season filming days.

Speaking about the announcement to Motorsport.com, Dillmann called his ePrix debut a “great opportunity…to race on the streets of my capital city.

“After I was in contact with Venturi the first step was getting some running at Mexico although it was very short. But really in Mexico I learnt more from seeing how things operate in the race and how a race is run, this was really useful to experience.”

Dillmann also acknowledged that it will be difficult making his debut against “drivers [with] two full seasons’ racing” in the series, but added “for me the aim is to do a good job for the team” and “look towards season four because I want to race full-time in the championship then”.

James Matthews, Formula E editor

Di Grassi defies odds to win Mexico City thriller

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodr’guez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Saturday 1 April 2017.
Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _56I7110

Lucas di Grassi has put an end to Sébastien Buemi’s run of consecutive Formula E victories, by taking the chequered flag in a Mexico City ePrix that saw drama at every turn.

When the race began, it didn’t look as though di Grassi would have much of a part to play. After qualifying in a lowly eighteenth position, the Brazilian made contact with his teammate Daniel Abt and Venturi’s Maro Engel on the first lap and had to pit to replace his rear wing.

Meanwhile, all eyes were on the front of the field, where the lead of the race was being contested by polesitter Oliver Turvey and a chasing José María López. The two were able to make their battle a private affair as the likes of Vergne, Bird and Buemi bunched up behind Nick Heidfeld in third, but despite piling on consistent pressure López was unable to find a way past Turvey.

But at quarter-distance, the Mexico City ePrix took its first twist as Turvey broke down on the start-finish straight, allowing López to assume the race lead by two seconds from Heidfeld and Vergne.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodr’guez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Saturday 1 April 2017.
Jose Maria Lopez (ARG), DS Virgin Racing, Spark-Citroen, Virgin DSV-02.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _56I7014

However, just as with Turvey, López’s lead was not to last. Whilst the safety car was out for Turvey’s stricken NextEV, the Abt team gambled on an ambitious strategy for di Grassi, calling him in from the back of the field on just lap seventeen.

This gave di Grassi the tall order of driving another 28 laps in his second car, but it also gave him invaluable track position: when the rest of the field pitted at the conventional halfway mark, di Grassi assumed the lead from Jérôme d’Ambrosio—who had also stopped under the earlier safety car—with half a lap back to López, now in third.

And despite having considerably less energy than the former leading pack behind him, di Grassi was able to maintain his advantage until the end as d’Ambrosio’s defence of second place acted as a roadblock for López and Vergne.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico
Friday 31 March 2017.
Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _J6I6039

The battle for second was ultimately resolved in Vergne’s favour, after López spun off under pressure at turn one and d’Ambrosio ran out of energy on the final lap, and Vergne’s former Virgin teammate Sam Bird finished third for his second podium of the season.

Mahindra had looked set for a solid double points finish just off the podium, until Heidfeld was hit in the closing stages by Nico Prost and sent spinning into the path of his teammate Felix Rosenqvist. This allowed Mitch Evans through to take a remarkable fourth place for Jaguar, collecting his and the team’s first Formula E points.

Prost then came through in fifth despite his collision with Heidfeld, ahead of López in sixth and Daniel Abt in seventh. Adam Carroll compounded a strong finish for Jaguar with a further four points for eighth, and the final points positions were rounded out by NextEV’s Nelson Piquet, and series debutant Esteban Gutiérrez.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodr’guez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Saturday 1 April 2017.
Mitch Evans (NZL), Jaguar Racing, Spark-Jaguar, Jaguar I-Type 1.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _56I5722

Championship leader Sébastien Buemi suffered a dismal race by his own recent standards, qualifying down in ninth and losing places in the pitlane to come home just fourteenth, albeit with one point for setting the fastest lap.

The results from Mexico City now see Buemi’s title lead cut down to just five points from di Grassi, with a further 25 points back to Prost and Vergne’s tussle for third. In the teams’ standings, Renault e.Dams remains ahead of Abt Schaeffler Audi, whilst Jaguar gets on the board with sixteen points, and Mahindra slumps to fifth behind DS Virgin and Techeetah.

James Matthews, Formula E editor

2017 Mexico City ePrix Preview

2015/2016 FIA Formula E Championship.
Mexico City ePrix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Saturday 12 March 2016.
Oliver Turvey (GBR) NEXTEV TCR FormulaE 001, Simona De Silvestro (SUI), Andretti – Spark SRT_01E, Nelson Piquet (BRA), NEXTEV TCR FormulaE 001.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _L0U8496

So far in the 2016–17 Formula E championship, events have been following a fairly simple pattern: first, the weekend will start with one team emerging as definite favourites in practice; then, said favourites will be trumped in qualifying by an unexpected maiden polesitter; and finally, the race itself will turn all that form on its head as Sébastien Buemi cruises to yet another victory.

But this Saturday, all that could be about to change, as Buemi heads to Mexico City somewhat on the back foot—well, at least as much on the back foot as a defending champion in a class-of-the-field car can be.

In case you’ve not been following the saga of 2017’s Formula E–WEC schedule clashes, Buemi will be starting his Mexico City ePrix weekend some six thousand miles away from the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, as he attends the WEC Prologue in Monza as part of Toyota’s LMP1 lineup.

And although Buemi will not have to forego the Mexico race altogether, he will be a late arrival to the event after hotfooting across the Atlantic on an overnight flight.

Such serendipity—and not to mention the resulting jet lag—could provide Buemi’s rivals with an opportunity to finally get one over on the runaway championship leader. It goes without saying that foremost in that list of potential winners is Lucas di Grassi, who finished first on the road in last year’s Mexico City ePrix before being disqualified for a technical infringement, and desperately needs a win this season if he is to truly challenge Buemi for the title again.

Also in the mix will be Jean-Éric Vergne and Sam Bird, both of whom will be perhaps even hungrier for the win than di Grassi given the as-yet-untapped promise of their respective cars. Nor should Felix Rosenqvist be discounted—despite enduring a forgettable race in Buenos Aires—or indeed Buemi’s Renault teammate and three-time ePrix winner Nico Prost.

Beneath the podium, it will again be a close fight between the likes of Andretti, NextEV, Venturi and Dragon for the lesser points positions. So far, NextEV has been the only member of that particular group to score in every race, owing to some consistently gutsy qualifying performances from Piquet and Turvey.

Nevertheless, a solid double points haul for Duval and d’Ambrosio at the last event could prove the springboard Dragon needs for further success in Mexico—although a repeat of d’Ambrosio’s eventual 2016 victory here would be a shock even by Formula E’s standards.

But a new factor in that top ten scrap this Saturday could well be Esteban Gutiérrez. The Mexican will be making his series debut replacing Ma Qinghua at Techeetah, and although he was shown up by Romain Grosjean in his recent F1 tenure, Gutiérrez remains a driver with clear innate speed, which paired with Techeetah-Renault machinery ought to be enough to put on a good show for his home fans.

The 2017 Mexico City ePrix begins at 23:00 UK time, with full text coverage available via our Twitter account and updates on our Facebook and Instagram feeds.

James Matthews, Formula E editor

Techeetah signs Gutiérrez to replace Ma

Marina Bay Circuit, Marina Bay, Singapore.
Saturday 17 September 2016.
World Copyright: Andy Hone/LAT Photographic
ref: Digital Image _ONY7518

 

Former F1 driver Esteban Gutiérrez will make his Formula E debut with Techeetah, taking over Ma Qinghua’s seat for both next month’s Mexico City ePrix and the remaining rounds of season three.

Ma, who joined Techeetah’s forerunner Team Aguri last year, is yet to score any points in his Formula E career, and it is understood his disappointing results relative to Jean-Éric Vergne are the reason he is being stood down before the season’s end.

Although Techeetah has yet to officially confirm its revised lineup, it is expected that the team will announce Gutiérrez as Vergne’s new teammate shortly, as well as Ma’s retention in a reserve driver role.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Marrakesh ePrix, Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Saturday 12 November 2016.
Ma Qing Hau (CHN), Techeetah, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16.
Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _W2Q5594

Gutiérrez had previously looked set to replace Loïc Duval at Dragon but his management was unable to finalise a deal, and so settled instead on Techeetah following a visit to the team’s simulator.

The Mexican is also reported to have held talks with Renault e.Dams and DS Virgin after losing his F1 drive at the end of 2016, specifically to deputise should any of their respective drivers have to miss the Mexico City race for the WEC Prologue in Monza—an opportunity now unavailable, with Sébastien Buemi and José María López flying overnight from the Prologue to Mexico, and Sam Bird granted leave by Ferrari to skip the WEC launch event altogether.

But with Gutiérrez now off the Formula E market, Renault and DS Virgin are still searching for a stand-in apiece when July’s New York ePrix clashes with the 6 Hours of the Nürburgring. It is believed Renault would prefer to draft in a member of its driver development academy, although the top drivers from that pool have schedule clashes of their own in junior formulae; whilst DS Virgin has so far given no updates on who is in the frame to join its current reserve driver Alex Lynn to cover Bird and Lopez in Brooklyn.

James Matthews, Formula E editor

Header photo credit: Haas F1 Team

Q&A with Formula E driver Salvador Duran

Salvador Duran (MEX) Amlin Aguri at Formula E Championship, Rd10, London, England, 27 June 2015.

A few years ago I had the chance to interview the Mexican Formula E driver Salvador Duran. It was one of my best moments as a PitCrew writer. Enjoy it!

TPCO-How difficult is it to drive a Formula E and what makes it different compared with the other cars that you have driven?

SD: What makes really difficult to drive the car is the energy consumption. We have to regenerate a lot of energy and because of this situation; we have to do it with the braking. This means that the breaking gets very unstable. So you never know what to expect of the car in the next corner and the energy consumption is the main difficulty of the car. In fact, the main issue is that we don’t know how much energy we need to finish the race.

TPCO- In 2005 you won the British Formula 3. Did you ever dream at that time that you would drive in a higher series like Formula E?

SD: Yes, of course I had a dream every time. I was always dreaming of driving in a bigger formula, in a higher series and being successful. I’ve never thought about trying to race in a particular series, I was always trying to become a champion. For sure when I won that championship, it made me a lot easier the way for driving in the World Series and A1GP.

TPCO- Formula E is still something new for the fans. If you had the chance to change/improve something in the sport, what would that be?

SD: At the moment, I would say it’s very difficult to judge what I would change, because for being the first season, it has been successful. All the sponsors are really happy to be part of this project. I would say there’s nothing that I would like to change at this moment.

TPCO- How did you feel when you won the Daytona 24 hours? and how was it to drive alongside with Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Pruett?

SD: It was a very special occasion for sure. It’s one of the greatest races in the world.

In that moment I was very young, I had lots of expectations of what to do. Actually, I didn’t have the time to enjoy it as much as I would now, because I was competing in several series and I was trying to be always in the top championships.

At that time, this race was not my goal. When I had the opportunity everything came too quick. I’ve wished I were more mature by that time so I could enjoy it a lot more, but never it’s too late. I still have those memories and I’ve really enjoyed driving those cars under very difficult conditions, because in the middle of the night I remember it was cold and wet. So it was very special for me.

TPCO- Mexico will host a F1 Grand Prix this season. Is your dream to sign a contract with a Formula 1 team and race in your home track?

SD: For sure, it’s an every driver’s dream to sign a contract in F1 and when you have a race in your hometown, of course it’s very special.

At this time in my life, Formula E is the best series for me for the future and right now my dream is to sign another contract for the next season in Formula E.

Therefore, things are changing every single year. Now my priority is Formula E and that’s my dream right now. F1 is something that I would really like to do, but by now as I said for me Formula E is better.

TPCO- Did you ever dream when you were younger that you would drive in Europe?

SD: No, I actually didn’t. When I started racing I was doing soccer as well in a soccer school; so my goal was to become a soccer player. It happened very quickly when my Dad purchased a go-kart for me and I started racing. When I won my first championship in Mexico, they invited me to participate in a formula race in America. I’ve decided to go and participate in two races. They went really well, I’ve had very good results and from there everything went too quick.

I didn’t even have the time to have a dream about that. After the second season I’ve moved to Europe. Then, I’ve realised that I really wanted to become a F1 driver, because I knew what it was needed and I knew that I’d really love to do it.

So, not when I was a kid, but when I was around 17 years old, I’ve started to dream about it.

TPCO- Do you know Roberto Duran? What’s your favourite Duran Duran track?

SD: Haha, I don’t actually (know Roberto Duran).

My favourite track is difficult to say.

I don’t listen too much Duran Duran, but I have very good memories about Duran Duran when Jo Ramirez gave me a CD as present. I remember I’ve listen the CD a lot when I was in Europe, just because it meant a lot for me, because Jo gave it to me.

That’s one of my best memories about this.

TPCO- Describe Aguri Suzuki in 3 words.

SD: He’s a charming guy, intelligent and funny.

TPCO- How close are you with your team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa?

SD: We have a very good relationship since a long time ago, when he was doing Formula Renault 2.0 and I was doing the World Series. We are very good friends, we share a lot about the team and the car.

I really like him as a person and as a driver I really respect him a lot. He is quick, he’s young and he’s very smart in how he does the energy consumption. He has a lot of experience on this and he does it very well.

TPCO-What do you miss the most from Mexico and how often do you go back?

SD: I miss everything. I really love my country. I love everything about it: Food, people, weather. I like everything. I try to go as much as I can. As soon as I have enough time, I go back to Mexico.

TPCO- Talking about Mexican culture now. Mariachi is quite famous in Mexico. Have you ever sung with them to propose to a woman?

SD: That’s a very unique and difficult question to answer, because that’s something very personal. So, I will pass on that one and talking about mariachi, I really love it. I love Mexican music. Actually that’s the kind of music that I listen the most. Mariachi not so much, but I like it a lot. I listen a lot of ‘banda’ and I really, really love all the Mexican culture.

Victor Archakis – @FP_Passion

Buemi makes the hat-trick as rivals falter

With crashes in practice, qualifying laps both heroic and scruffy, and a mixed-up grid fighting all through the race, no one could deny the 2017 Buenos Aires ePrix was full of surprises—and yet, for all that the result was still all too familiar.

The Puerto Madero street race began like every other round this season, with the grid headed by a driver sitting on their maiden pole position. This time it was the turn of Lucas di Grassi, who saw off Super Pole challenges from Jean-Éric Vergne and Sébastien Buemi by holding a lap together in the dusty conditions despite not having the fastest car.

But although he made a good getaway off the line, di Grassi could not hold on to the lead for long. Driving a chassis that had undergone repairs for a practice crash earlier in the morning, the Brazilian struggled with his setup and lacked the grip to fend off the Renault power of Vergne and Buemi.

On lap three Vergne moved his Techeetah into the lead, though the Frenchman remained there little longer than di Grassi before Buemi breezed through the inside of the turn one hairpin.

Once in front, the championship leader stretched his legs into a five-second lead over Vergne by the time of his pit stop on lap eighteen. Vergne gradually ate into that margin during the second stint of the race, but even with Renault power of his own he was unable to prevent Buemi from cruising home to a third straight victory and another 25 championship points.

Vergne followed Buemi across the line in second to collect the Techeetah team’s first podium, whilst di Grassi came through behind to complete the rostrum.

The podium had looked unlikely for the di Grassi as he struggled early in the race, and was passed by both Oliver Turvey and Nico Prost. But in his more stable second car, the polesitter’s confidence improved—and with Turvey dropping to sixth after being forced into an early pit stop, a comfortable pass on Prost’s inside was all di Grassi needed to take his second podium of the season.

Prost remained where di Grassi left him to take a third consecutive fourth place ahead of Nelson Piquet, who finished where he started after another strong qualifying performance saw both NextEV drivers round out the Super Pole shootout.

Dragon Racing bounced back from a poor outing in Marrakesh with Loïc Duval and Jérôme d’Ambrosio finishing sixth and eighth respectively; the two were split by Daniel Abt, the German putting in a solid recovery drive from fourteenth on the grid. Turvey dropped to ninth in the end as he struggled with energy conservation throughout the race, and home favourite Lopez put his qualifying crash and resulting back row start behind him to take tenth place.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Buenos Aires ePrix, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Saturday 18 February 2017.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _X0W5594

Mitch Evans narrowly missed out on claiming Jaguar’s first Formula E points on Saturday—one of the stars of qualifying, Evans started from seventh and ran within the top ten for most of the race, but through energy saving and a five-second penalty for speeding under a full course yellow dropped to thirteenth in the end.

Also unlucky were Buemi’s Marrakesh podium-mates, Felix Rosenqvist and Sam Bird—the former scuppered when his second M3Electro refused to start in the pits, and the latter retiring early after being sandwiched between d’Ambrosio and the wall.

The 2016–17 Formula E season resumes in six weeks time in Mexico City. With his win in Buenos Aires, Sébastien Buemi will enter round four with a 29-point buffer to di Grassi, whilst his Renault e.Dams team continue to rule the teams’ standings on a mighty 111 points.

James Matthews, Formula E editor

2017 Buenos Aires ePrix Preview

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Marrakesh ePrix, Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Saturday 12 November 2016.
Jose Maria Lopez (ARG), DS Virgin Racing, Spark-Citroen, Virgin DSV-02.
Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _W2Q7555

 

At long last Formula E’s winter break is over, and this weekend the 2016–17 season will resume on the streets of Buenos Aires.

This will be the series’ third visit to the Argentine capital and the first race of the season to take place on a returning circuit. After the opening two rounds in Hong Kong and Marrakesh saw the likes of Felix Rosenqvist make a meteoric rise to the fore, the familiarity of the Puerto Madero Street Circuit may hand the advantage back to Formula E’s established stars for now.

That ought to make this weekend’s ePrix a very welcome event for the likes of Lucas di Grassi and Sam Bird, whose respective championship challenges have so far got off to a mixed start—a strong showing here at a track with which they are well accustomed could bring them right back into the mix.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Marrakesh ePrix, Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Saturday 12 November 2016.
Photo: Zak Mauger/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _L0U6880

Bird in particular seems to have a certain flair for the Puerto Madero track. The Briton has already notched up one victory, pole position and fastest lap from Formula E’s last two trips to Argentina, and in his lighter, single-motor DSV02 his chances of adding to that tally in 2017 are theoretically as high as ever.

Di Grassi, on the other hand, may not be able to directly challenge for the win on pace alone—his new ABT Schaeffler powertrain once again seems to favour consistency over raw speed, which could leave the Brazilian wanting on Formula E’s fastest circuit. But all the same di Grassi can never be truly discounted as a contender, thanks to his canny ability to put himself in a position to profit should his rivals come to any grief.

Nevertheless, even after just two of twelve rounds, it’s beginning to look like Bird and di Grassi will have to dig deeper than ever if they are to mount any assault on Sébastien Buemi.

The reigning champion has been bulletproof so far this season, able to marry his natural ability with a newfound serenity behind the wheel, and boosted by a Renault that appears to be both quicker than di Grassi’s ABT and more robust than Bird’s Virgin. Provided he can still tap into the momentum of his Hong Kong and Marrakesh wins after so long a break, it’s hard to see how anyone but the racing gods can stop Buemi on Saturday.

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Marrakesh ePrix, Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Saturday 12 November 2016.
Sebastien Buemi (SUI), Renault e.Dams, Spark-Renault, Renault Z.E 16.
Photo: Andrew Ferraro/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _79P4925

Behind those three you can expect to see Mahindra’s Rosenqvist and Nick Heidfeld once again contesting for another plucky podium position, and most likely battling with Nico Prost, who is making quiet fourth place finishes his habit this season. But also watch for José María López—the Argentinian may have had a scrappy start to his rookie season, but that rapid DSV02 and a probable FanBoost from his home crowd could really set his fortunes alight at last.

Lower down the order, this looks to be another trying weekend for NextEV. As was the case in Hong Kong and Marrakesh, the multiple long straights of the Puerto Madero circuit will be punishing for the team’s long-running energy efficiency problems, and even with a good qualifying position points may not be a possibility once the likes of Andretti, Dragon and Venturi come into play in the race.

Nor is there much likelihood of seeing Jaguar’s two rookies scoring their first points of the season, as both they and the team enter this weekend considerably on the back foot compared to their more experienced opponents.

That said, what checks out on paper is rarely what plays out on track, and the Puerto Madero race has not been without its upsets in the past—in 2015, for example, when António Félix da Costa sailed through the attrition of the pack to take his and Team Aguri’s maiden series victory. With such a strong field ready to pounce on the slightest opportunity, it would not take much of an incident on Saturday for the Buenos Aires ePrix to produce another result out of left field.

 

James Matthews, Formula E editor

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship.
Marrakesh ePrix, Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Saturday 12 November 2016.
Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E
ref: Digital Image _SLA7137
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