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Lucas di Grassi takes first Audi Formula E pole position

2017/2018 FIA Formula E Championship. Round 5 - Mexico City ePrix. Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico. Saturday 03 March 2018. Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, Audi e-tron FE04. Photo: Alastair Staley/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _MGL3038

Before today’s Formula E qualifying session, Sébastien Buemi (Renault e.dams) had been the fastest driver during the first free practice session, with Lucas di Grassi taking his spot on the second free practice session with a provisional record of 1:14.536. It was a sign of the things to come, as the Brazilian would score a much celebrated pole position.

The Audi driver was on the first qualifying group and he soon surprised everyone with the fastest time, a new record of 1:14.032. He was the fastest driver at that point in qualifying, and certainly fastest of the first group.

The second group saw Alex Lynn (DS Virgin Racing) get close to the champion but the Brit was left a tenth behind. The third group had Mitch Evans (Panasonic Jaguar Racing) just 0.061 seconds behind. The chase saw an end with championship leader Jean-Éric Vergne (Techeetah) beating the record with an astonishing 1:13.672. He would later say this was one of his best laps ever in a Formula E car.

The qualifying session left us with three crashes. It was Nick Heidfeld (Mahindra Racing), Nelson Piquet (Panasonic Jaguar Racing) and Nicolas Prost (Renault e.dams), who made a trifecta of crashes against the wall. Fortunately, none of them saw any injury.

 

The super pole had a hard fight between Vergne, Di Grassi, Evans, Lynn and Oliver Turvey (NIO). The pole was to be owned by Di Grassi, who was ‘saved’ by a slower lap than expected by hot favourite Vergne, who had to settle for fifth.

Despite that, Di Grassi, Lynn and Turvey are being investigated for violation of track limits during their respective laps.

Fórmula E – Qualifying Results – Punta del Este

Pos Nr Driver Team Lap Time
1 1 Lucas Di Grassi Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler 1:13.948
2 36 Alex Lynn DS Virgin Racing 1:14.189
3 20 Mitch Evans Panasonic Jaguar Racing 1:14.640
4 16 Oliver Turvey NIO Formula E Team 1:14.978
5 25 Jean-Eric Vergne Techeetah 1:16.806
6 66 Daniel Abt Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler 1:14.224
7 9 Sébastien Buemi Renault e.dams 1:14.320
8 18 André Lotterer Techeetah 1:14.442
9 5 Maro Engel Venturi Formula E Team 1:14.523
10 2 Sam Bird DS Virgin Racing 1:14.552
11 6 Jose Maria López Dragon 1:14.605
12 7 Jérome d’Ambrosio Dragon 1:14.673
13 28 António Felix da Costa Andretti Autosport 1:14.973
14 19 Felix Rosenqvist Mahindra Racing 1:15.104
15 68 Luca Filippi NIO Formula E Team 1:15.444
16 4 Edoardo Mortara Venturi Formula E Team 1:15.493
17 27 Tom Blomqvist Andretti Autosport 1:16.424
18 23 Nick Heidfeld Mahindra Racing 1:31.701
19 3 Nelson Piquet Panasonic Jaguar Racing 1:42.656
20 8 Nicolas Prost Renault e.dams 1:53.358