Audi wins in Mexico

Races don’t come any more exciting than the Mexico E-Prix, with Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler driver, Lucas di Grassi, claiming victory right on the finish line. It was the third time Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler has won the E-Prix in Mexico City and the victory was sweet. The Audi e-tron FE05 race car not only had the superior speed but proved more efficient than the opposition, giving di Grassi the opportunity to produce some of his trademark, spectacular driving.

It was a race that literally came right down to the line, di Grassi first dispatching second place Oliver Rowland to move up on the race leader, Pascal Wehrlein and setup a classic finish.

In front of a huge crowd, the Brazilian produced a thrilling overtaking manoeuvre right at the finish to take the race win.

“That was probably the best race of my Formula E career,” said an ecstatic di Grassi after the nail-biting finish. “Initially, it was all about staying cool and saving energy. At the end, it was about getting the overtaking manoeuvres right, because it’s extremely difficult to pass on this track in Mexico City… Pascal Wehrlein defended his position very aggressively. Still, I managed to overtake him in a crazy final lap and score victory. My adrenaline level was extremely high and I could hardly believe that it worked.”

Team principal, Allan McNish, was likewise ecstatic if not mentally exhausted at the finish.

“Three straight wins for Audi in Mexico City is a great achievement,” he said. “It was a nerve-wracking race and we didn’t know how it would turn out until the very last second. The Audi e-tron FE05 was fantastic today – more efficient than any other car. Such a close race is not good for my heart. Still, there will be huge celebrations tonight.”

“It always pays to watch Formula E races until the very end,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “It was an incredible race with an incredible finish. I’ve never witnessed such an overtaking move right at the finish – and in Mexico of all places, where overtaking is almost impossible.” 

The other three Audi e-tron FE05 cars – one driven by di Grassi’s teammate Daniel Abt and the two forming the customer team Envision Virgin Racing – also put in strong performances in Mexico. Daniel Abt, who last year won the race, finished in the points in tenth after having to start from the back of the grid. The two Envision Virgin Racing cars likewise fought their way through the pack to finish in ninth (Sam Bird) and eleventh (Robin Frijns) having started in twenty-second and twentieth position respectively.

The FIA Formula E Championship now heads to Hong Kong to contest Round five on March 10.