Nico Müller: Unexpected second place 🎥
FORMULA E PODIUM IN VALENCIA In a chaotic race on a wet track, Nico Müller claimed his first Formula E podium in Valencia. Otherwise, the three Swiss drivers had modest results. The highlights show how Nico Müller advanced to second place in a dramatic finale. After several safety car phases, the first of the two races on the Valencia circuit lasted [...]
The highlights show how Nico Müller advanced to second place in a dramatic finale.
After several safety car phases, the first of the two races on the Valencia circuit lasted one lap too long for most of the drivers in the field. For them, it was just a matter of managing the remaining amount of energy available, which the race control continuously reduced as a result of the yellow phases, and making it to the finish.
This is how it went forward
Despite a drive-through penalty and two spins that caused him to drop back, Nico Müller ended up in a completely unexpected second place. The driver from Bern was 15th on lap 22, seventh one lap later and fourth at the finish after 24 laps.
After immediately imposing time penalties on Rowland (Nissan) and Sims (Mahindra), who finished ahead of him, Müller celebrated in second place. It was the first podium in Formula E for him and the Dragon Penske team.
Nico Müller: "When you only start 22nd, you need a turbulent race to be able to get to the front. But that was almost too much chaos. My pace in the wet was good, and with the help of the team I managed the amount of energy optimally, which helped us to a really unexpected second place. I think we all deserved this podium."
Double misfortune for Buemi
Sébastien Buemi also seemed to shine in Saturday's race, which only nine drivers finished in the standings. However, while running in fourth place, the Vaud native's Nissan Ariya was bumped by Porsche driver André Lotterer on the first lap, which led to his retirement.
Starting ninth on Sunday on a dry track, Buemi finished 11th, just outside the points. After a botched qualifying session, Nico Müller (20th) was unable to get out of the back of the field in what were now ideal conditions.
In ninth place, only Edoardo Mortara in the Venturi-Mercedes scored two points in the second Valencia race. The day before, the man from Geneva retired.
Victories for Mercedes and BMW
Dutchman Nyck de Vries in a Mercedes emerged as the winner of the first race after defending champion Antonio Felix da Costa in a DS Techeetah ran out of energy on the last lap.
The second race was won by Jake Dennis in a BMW - the first win of the season for the Munich team after a long dry spell.
Next stop Monaco
In the interim standings after six races, Mortara is in ninth place with 32 points - 25 fewer than championship leader Nyck de Vries (57) - while Müller is eleventh with 30 and Buemi is 22nd out of 24 drivers with just eleven points.
For the next race on May 8, the Formula E teams will return to Monaco, where they will race on the GP circuit for the first time.
