Formula E season hots up

A tough weekend of competition for Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport in the sold out  New York ePrix, saw Lucas di Grassi again show his class and supreme talent at the wheel, turning two tough races into enough points to put him within striking distance of the Formula E series leader heading into the season finale.

In the first Formula E race to be held in New York, di Grassi battled in qualifying and was up against it in both races, starting 10th on the grid in Saturday’s race, but turning on an inspired drive to finish fourth.

Again on Sunday, the Audi driver started well back in the field in ninth, but fought his way through the field to cross the line in fifth. His points tally for the NY weekend puts him just 10 points behind series leader, Sébastien Buemi, going into the season finale in Canada at the end of the month. With 58 points on offer in Montreal, di Grassi is well and truly in the hunt for his first Formula E driver’s championship, although the competition is fierce. 

“It was fantastic to have raced in this incredible city and to have written a piece of motorsport history. The first race in such a city is always something very special. It was a great event, but my thoughts were obviously entirely focused on my fightback in the title battle,” Lucas di Grassi said at the end of the weekend.

Asked about the team’s chances in Canada and his own push for the title, di Grassi is realistic but says that in Formula E anything is possible. 

“In New York we have seen once again just how unpredictable Formula E is: before this weekend, Sam Bird was nowhere in the Championship and then he wins both races. I just need to find out which water he drank and merely drink the same before Montreal.”  

“It’ll be difficult, but we’ll try everything. It is psychologically important that I can win through my own efforts in Montreal: if I win both races I’m Champion. Then there’s no need to worry about the mathematical chances. This is exactly what we’ll try to do,” di Grassi said.

While the season finale is guaranteed to be exciting, so too the future of Formula E, with the announcement that Audi will become the first German automobile manufacturer to be actively involved in the racing series starting next season.

The fourth Formula E season kicks off in Hong Kong on December 2 and will subsequently take the campaign to South and North America, Africa as well as the European metropolises of Rome and Paris, and other venues. 

“Formula E delivers spectacular motorsport in the hearts of fascinating cities and is a tremendous stage to present electric mobility and motorsport in their most emotive forms,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “We’re currently seeing an extremely exciting season with a gripping title race. I’m happy that now everything has been put on track for a successful future too.”