An impressive team work and race pace showed by Audi Abt Team makes Lucas Di Grassi the winner of today’s ePrix at Long Beach. This victory makes the Brazilian the new championship leader of Formula E in front of Buemi who didn’t finished on top10. Sarrazin and Abt completes the podium.
Pre-Race: Da Costa out of pole position
Before the ePrix, António Félix da Costa who took the pole position for his first time at Formula E, was disqualified due to a low tyre pressure. That makes Sam Bird (DS Virgin) start from pole position
Early Race: Bird controls & Buemi gets crazy
In a clean start, Bird keep the lead at the start ahead of Di Grassi, Sarrazin was third as Heidfeld drives to fourth place, but not for many time. The Mahnidra driver lost the position after a move from Robin Frijns (Andretti Autosport).
The Dutch driver lost his great performance when Sébastien Buemi crashed into the Andretti guy. Buemi before crash into Frijns, had to overtake Daniel Abt.
Frijns and Buemi with a damaged cars had to pit earlier and that may him lose the points positions. The Swiss later on, managed to set the fastest lap of the race to get an important 2 points for the championship.
Di Grassi attacks and Bird gets wrong
As Buemi was doing silly things and not thinking in championship terms, Di Grassi overtook Sam Bird before the car change. Both made that mandatory stop on lap 22, Di Grassi kept the lead as Bird followed him but, in the third sector, the Brit lock up and drop until seventh place.
If you’re French today wasn’t your day
Nicolas Prost after pit stop recived a penalty due to not respect the minimum of pit lane time. It was a really bad news for Renault e.Dams, cause the son of Formula 1 4-times-world-champion Alain Prost, was running fourth thanks to a great pit strategy.
It wasn’t the day once again of Jean-Éric Vergne who lost the points at the end of the race, having a lot of problems to save energy in his Citroen engine.
Da Costa race, the best and the worst
The Portuguese starting from 18th, quickly comeback to 15th in a very aggressive move. Then he managed to get into the top10 but he could have improved more but Vergne didn’t allow him. After car change he finally overtook the Frenchman but, he had to retire due to issues in his second car when he was running on eight position.
Di Grassi won the race, his second this season, and takes the lead of the championship by two points. Sarrazin and Daniel Abt completes the podium. Out of the podium finished the Mahindra’s of Nick Heidfeld and Bruno Senna. Sam Bird was sixth as D’Ambrosio comeback to seventh position.
Loïc Duval was eight after start from 17th, Simona de Silvestro with Andretti score his first points of the season with a final nine position, Mike Conway completes the points zone.