Podium finish in Uruguay

Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler was quick to capitalise on its success in Mexico to mark the halfway point of the 2017/2018 Formula E season with another podium finish.

This time it was defending champion, Lucas di Grassi who starred for the team, taking second place and being unfortunate not to go one better and take the race.

Held at Punta del Este in Uruguay over the weekend, di Grassi was lightning fast from the outset,  setting the pace in free practice and demonstrating again the sheer speed of the Audi FE04 – four tenths faster than the rest of the field and recording the fastest lap in the ‘Super Pole’.

Despite this though, fifth placed Jean-Eric Vergne driving the Techeetah, started the race on pole after officials scrap qualitying times for some drivers after they touched a bollard deemed out of bounds during the practice.

“In my opinion it wasn’t correct to delete the times of the fastest drivers because we all touched a bollard in the chicane,” said di Grassi. “I understood it differently in the drivers’ briefing and it was handled differently beforehand in free practice and in qualifying. Instead of starting from pole position I had to start from second place on the dirty side of the grid – and this on a track where overtaking is extremely difficult.” 

The starting order had a significant impact on di Grassi’s ability to pass on the twisty circuit and despite a spirited drive, he was unable to get past Vergne.

“I had the faster car, but Jev defended perfectly,” said di Grassi. “It was possible to score 28 points today, instead it was only 18. But our car is super-fast and now also reliable. I’m looking forward to the second half of the season.”

Teammate and last round’s winner, Daniel Abt wasn’t able to duplicate his blistering form from Mexico, reaching as high as third in the field, but was forced into the pits when his seatbelts came undone during the race. This seemly minor but nevertheless important malfunction, cost the young German a podium finish and saw him ultimately finish in 14th position.

“Daniel’s problem with the belts cost us a double podium and was a huge disappointment for him,” said Team Principal Allan McNish. “It’s positive that we got both cars to the finish and that Lucas took his first podium of the season after having scored his first points in Mexico. His fight with Jean-Eric Vergne for the lead was incredibly intense and exciting from the first to the last lap. On one occasion I thought now Lucas is through, but Jev drove a strong race as well.”

With the first half of the season now gone, Daniel Abt sits in seventh in the standings, Lucas di Grassi is to 10th and Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler is sixth in the teams’ classification.

The next round of the FIA Formula E championship will be held in Rome on April 14.