Podium in Monaco

Right from qualifying, Audi works driver, Lucas di Grassi, thrilled crowds in his adopted Monaco for round five of this year’s Formula E championship. Even a brush with the armco couldn’t slow the Brazilian, who qualified second on the grid, and set the stage for one of the best races of the Formula E season to date.

“After the first free practice on Saturday morning, my aim was a top-five result. I just barely made it into the Super Pole of the quickest five. That I managed a good lap there was very important because overtaking in Monaco is near-impossible,” he said of the track which was a shortened version of the Formula 1 circuit.

He took his qualifying speed into the race and again played the tactics game, pitting at the midway point when a safety car was out on the tack. But despite his best efforts against his main opposition, Sébastien Buemi, di Grassi had to settle for second position by the narrowest of margins, cementing his position in the driver standings.

“The race went well, unfortunately, Séb (Sébastien Buemi) made no mistakes. Otherwise, I would have tried an attack,” di Grassi said. 

“At first, Séb was a little faster. The first car didn’t feel quite as good. I concentrated on saving energy. Grip came with the second car. I was able to follow Séb and put pressure on him in the end. I had about one percent more energy than he had. Naturally, I tried everything to win the race. Our car was running well in Monaco and the team did another fantastic setup job. I’m very pleased with the weekend and happy about the 18 points.”  

Lucas di Grassi’s teammate, Daniel Abt, started from position nine, the German practicing clever restraint in the commotion in turn one and was initially running in 11th before a strong finishing drive netted him seventh position for the third consecutive time this season.

Going into next weekend’s Paris round of the 2017 Formula E season, di Grassi sits comfortably in second position behind Monaco winner, Sébastien Buemi, in the driver’s championship, with teammate Daniel Abt in ninth. The ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport team sits in second position in the manufacturer’s standings.