Electric in Africa

ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport driver Lucas di Grassi consolidated his second place in the driver’s standings with the second round of the Formula E Championship held in Marrakesh over the weekend.

Although neither di Grassi or teammate Daniel Abt were able to produce a podium result on the 2.971 kilometre Marrakesh circuit, the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport team came away from the second round of the 2016/17 Formula E season with 18 points towards the championship and more valuable experience in this emerging racing formula.

With the UN Climate Conference taking part nearby, it was the perfect place to showcase the fully electric racing formula that will form such an important part of Audi’s motorsport program in coming years, particularly since the announcement that the brand will cease its World Endurance Championship (WEC) program at the end of the 2016 season.

Daniel Abt (pictured below) started the race from fifth position and finished the race in sixth after the 33 lap race. His teammate, Lucas di Grassi who finished on the podium in the opening round in Hong Kong, started well back in 12th position, but again produced an inspired drive to work his way through the field and finish in fifth. This performance consolidated his position as second in the driver’s championships points.

For the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport team, there will now be a break until round three of the Formula E Championship to be held in February 2017 in  Buenos Aires/Argentina. But di Grassi will be back behind the wheel of another Audi next week, at the WEC season finale in Bahrain, when an historic era in world motorsport comes to an end.