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Di Grassi gets the Formula E title; Vergne gets his first victory

2016/2017 FIA Formula E Championship. Round 11 - Montreal ePrix, Canada Saturday 29 July 2017. Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport, Spark-Abt Sportsline, ABT Schaeffler FE02, celebrates on the podium. Photo: Sam Bloxham/LAT/Formula E ref: Digital Image _J6I5834

Lucas Di Grassi has finally won the 2016-17 FIA Formula E drivers’ championship. The Brazilian had an easy race and his seventh place has been enough. Jean-Eric Vergne has won the race in Montreal, thus achieving his first victory ever. Rosenqvist and Lopez complete the podium.

Felix Rosenqvist (Mahindra Racing) started on pole and kept the first position in front of Jean-Eric Vergne (Techeetah), who overtook Sam Bird (DS Virgin Racing). But turn 1 became dramatic: Daniel Abt (Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport) touched Stéphane Sarrazin (Techeetah), who lost control of his car and created a complete chaos in which the most harmed would be Sébastien Buemi (Renault e.dams).

The Swiss driver, who started thirteenth, got his back wing damaged after crashing with Robin Frijns (Andretti Autosport). The Renault driver would pit to check the damage and came out of the pits in last position. He would improve and finish eleventh, not enough to win the championship.

This was nearly definitive for Lucas Di Grassi (Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport), who was sixth during the initial laps. With the mandatory car change, he went down to tenth but managed to end in seventh place and win his first championship.

Meanwhile, on top, Rosenqvist lost his first place in the second half of the race in favour of Vergne, who would finally achieve his first victory in Formula E. Rosenqvist, with a second position, got the third place in the championship. Sam Bird finished fourth after being beaten by his teammate Jose Maria López (DS Virgin Racing).

Silently, Sarrazin would improve up to the eighth position, after the incident of the first lap. Jérome D’Ambrosio (Faraday Future Dragon Racing) and Tom Dillmann (Venturi Racing) would complete the top10.

Renault e.dams has won its third teams’ championship in a row, beating Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport by 20 points.

Results:

Pos Driver Team Gap
1 Jean-Eric VERGNE TECHEETAH 54:12.606
2 Felix ROSENQVIST Mahindra Racing +0.896
3 José Maria LOPEZ DS Virgin Racing 4.468
4 Sam BIRD DS Virgin Racing 7.114
5 Nick HEIDFELD Mahindra Racing 21.933
6 Daniel ABT ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport 24.444
7 Lucas DI GRASSI ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport 24.855
8 Stéphane SARRAZIN TECHEETAH 26.038
9 Jérôme D’AMBROSIO Faraday Future Dragon Racing 28.282
10 Tom DILLMANN Venturi Formula E Team 28.591
11 Sébastien BUEMI Renault e.dams 35.170
12 Mitch EVANS Panasonic Jaguar Racing 36.548
13 Robin FRIJNS Andretti Formula E 36.826
14 Adam CARROLL Panasonic Jaguar Racing 36.972
15 Antonio Felix DA COSTA Andretti Formula E 39.720
16 Nelson PIQUET JR NEXTEV NIO 46.751
17 Oliver TURVEY NEXTEV NIO 49.116
18 Maro ENGEL Venturi Formula E Team +1:33.530
19 Loïc DUVAL Faraday Future Dragon Racing 3 Laps
Nicolas PROST Renault e.dams Retired