Sebastien Buemi is new FIA Formula E champion

By: Motown India Bureau

Jul 03 2016

Sebastien Buemi is the new FIA Formula E champion after clinching the title courtesy of setting the Visa Fastest Lap during the season-ending Visa London ePrix on July 3, 2016. The final race of the 2015/16 season was a controversial affair, brought about by title rivals Buemi and Lucas di Grassi colliding on the opening lap of the race. Buemi made a slow start from pole, and was rear-ended by di Grassi under braking for Turn 3.

Bruno Senna of Mahindra Racing who came second the previous day in London, claimed sixth position, ahead of team-mate Nick Heidfeld.

Meanwhile the incident involving the top two leading drivers took the rear wing off Buemi’s Renault e.dams entry, while there was significant front end damage to the Abt Schaeffler car of di Grassi. Both drivers limped back to the pits so that they could switch to their second car.

With two points on offer for the Visa Fastest Lap and both drivers tied on points, the championship now boiled down to a fight over who could be quickest over a flying lap. Both drivers – and Stephane Sarrazin - were awarded FanBoost, but the rules state that this power boost cannot be used to claim the bonus points. Waiting for a clear piece of track to emerge, the protagonists bided their time in the pits, waiting for the perfect time to get a clear lap. Di Grassi struck first, but Buemi’s response was emphatic. Di Grassi gave everything in his response, but fell short, leaving the Swiss racer to succeed Nelson Piquet Jr as Formula E champion.

There were three Qualcomm Safety Car periods during a stop-start race, and the drama continued

after the flag fell with third-placed man Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Virgin), Nick Heidfeld (Mahindra) and Antonio Felix da Costa (Team Aguri) all being hit with time penalties for exceeding the permitted energy limit.

This promoted Jerome D’Ambrosio of Dragon Racing to third place, his team-mate Loic Duval into fourth and Stephane Sarrazin into fifth for Venturi. Vergne’s additional penalty for an unsafe release dropped him to eighth and the two NEXTEV TCR drivers picked up the final points positions.

The weekend was a great success with 42,000 fans piling into Battersea Park over the two races and enjoying a host of eSports action and live music acts, both presented by Visa.

Now the teams turn their attentions to developing their season three packages to ensure they’re ready when the all-electric racing series sparks back into life on October 9 with the HKT Hong Kong ePrix.

Following an appeal from Dragon Racing regarding the Stewards decision relating to two penalties applied to Jean-Eric Vergne, the result of the race remains subject to the findings of the international Court of Appeal.

2016 Visa London ePrix (Rd 10) - Race results

1. Nico Prost, Renault e.dams, 56:32.648s (25)

2. Daniel Abt, Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport, +7.633s (18)

3. Jerome D’Ambrosio, Dragon Racing, +22.524s (15)

4. Loic Duval, Dragon Racing, +23.290s (12)

5. Stephane Sarrazin, Venturi, +24.984s (10)

6. Bruno Senna, Mahindra Racing, +27.174s (8)

7. Nick Heidfeld, Mahindra Racing, +1:07.544s (6)

8. Jean-Eric Vergne, DS Virgin Racing, +1:08.002s (4)

9. Nelson Piquet Jr, NEXTEV TCR, +1:14.270s (2)

10. Oliver Turvey, NEXTEV TCR, +1:22.216s (1)

11. Antonio Felix da Costa, Team Aguri, +1:58.324s

12. Ma Qing Hua, Team Aguri, +1 lap

13. Mike Conway, Venturi, +1 lap

14. Lucas di Grassi, Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport, DNF

15. Sebastien Buemi, Renault e.dams, DNF (5)

16. Robin Frijns, Andretti Formula E, DNF

17. Simona de Silvestro, Andretti Formula E, DNF

18. Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing, DNF

Driver standings

Sebastien Buemi, Renault e.dams - 155

Lucas di Grassi, Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport - 153

Nico Prost, Renault e.dams - 115

Sam Bird, DS Virgin Racing - 88

Jerome D’Ambrosio, Dragon Racing - 83

Stephane Sarrazin, Venturi - 70

Team standings

Renault e.dams - 270

Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport - 221

DS Virgin Racing - 144

Dragon Racing - 143

Mahindra Racing - 105

Venturi - 77

Andretti Formula E - 49

Team Aguri - 32

NEXTEV TCR – 19

(Source: Text & Pictures: FIA Formula E)

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Tags electric cars electric motorsport ePrix Motorsport track race Sebastien Buemi Visa London ePrix Abt Schaeffler Lucas di Grassi FIA Formula E Nico Prost Bruno Senna Mahindra Racing Nick Heidfeld London ePrix FIA Formula E Championship

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