Formula E: Six races, six winners 🎥
The sixth Formula E race in Sanya, which ended under yellow, brought the sixth winner. This time it was the turn of last year's champion Jean-Eric Vergne. Both Swiss drivers received retrospective penalties. Like all previous races, the one on the street circuit in Sanya, at the southernmost point of China, which was being driven for the first time, was turbulent. With around twelve minutes to go, the [...]
Like all previous races, the one on the street circuit in Sanya, at the southernmost point of China, was turbulent. Around twelve minutes before the end of the time, Alexander Sims' BMW iFE.18 was so stuck on the track after contact with a wall that the race organizers were forced to stop the race with a red flag.
Shortly before the start of the last minute of the race (plus one lap), there was an accident between Robin Frjins and Lucas di Grassi. Thus, the first Formula E race on the Chinese mainland since the premiere in Beijing in fall 2015 ended under yellow.
Lead and first podium for Nissan
In the first half of the race, Oliver Rowland's Nissan IM01, which started from pole position for the first time, led. However, the Briton failed to pull away and remained under pressure from Jean-Eric Vergne in the car of the Chinese team DS Techeetah. The reigning champion braked Rowland clean out of the race and stayed in front thereafter.
The highlights of the race in Sanya are shown in the following video:
#FormulaE - Watch the best moments from the Sanya E-Prix (#SanyaEPrix), 6th Round of the 2018/19 @FIAFormulaE season 🇨🇳⬇ pic.twitter.com/gQ51HLMuAH
- FIA (@fia) March 23, 2019
Penalties for both Swiss
As a result, all six races so far have ended with different winners. Edoardo Mortara, who finished first in Hong Kong after championship leader Sam Bird was penalized, came away empty-handed this time. Initially classified tenth, the Venturi driver subsequently received a time penalty (Attack Mode not correctly activated twice), which dropped him to 13th place. As a result, his teammate Felipe Massa moved up to tenth place, which was good enough for the point. Bird himself retired early in China.
Sébastien Buemi put in the catch-up performance of the day. After an accident in Super Pole qualifying, the driver from the canton of Vaud had to start his Nissan from the end of the pit lane instead of P6. Lying in eighth place until shortly before the end, Buemi benefited from the crash between Frijns and di Grassi and thus moved up two places. Because the Swiss had provoked this accident (he bumped Frjns from behind), he subsequently lost two positions and four championship points.
Title fight remains completely open
With his third place, BMW driver Antonio Felix da Costa, winner of the opening race of the fifth Formula E season 2018/19 in December, took over the top spot in the standings with 62 points. The first six drivers, including Mortara (52), are only ten points apart. Buemi is in 13th place with only 19 points so far.
Next stop and the first 2019 in Europe is Rome on Saturday, April 13.
