Formula E: Daniel Abt shows Buemi how it's done
HUGE WIN FOR AUDI The German round of the FIA Formula E in Berlin was dominated by the Audi team. Daniel Abt won ahead of teammate Lucas di Grassi. Sébastien Buemi would also like nothing more than a home win on June 10 in Zurich. On the Tempelhof airfield circuit in Berlin, where exactly one year ago he won his [...]
On the Tempelhof airfield circuit in Berlin, where he celebrated his last FIA Formula E victory exactly one year ago, Sébastien Buemi started from seventh position in the Renault Z.E. 17. More would have been possible, as he was the fastest in the last two sectors in qualifying.
By the time the car was changed mid-race, the Vaud native had improved to fifth place and was even in third place at times. However, the Swiss driver lost out in the wheel-to-wheel duel with championship leader Jean-Eric Vergne.
The championship train has left the station
Buemi crossed the finish line in fourth place, 4.4 seconds behind the Frenchman's Techeetah, which was also powered by a Renault electric motor.
Sébastien Buemi: "Today we weren't in the same league as the top two. I also struggled against Vergne towards the end. After sixth place in Rome and fifth in Paris, this was a slight improvement, but I can't be satisfied with that after I've already achieved so much in this championship. It's not easy to accept this, even though I'm happy to take the twelve points with me. We will now stay focused for the rest of the season."
Vergne now leads the championship by 40 points (162 to 122) from Briton Sam Bird (DS Virgin Racing), who only finished seventh. Realistically, Buemi (82) only has a chance of finishing third, with Felix Rosenqvist (86), Daniel Abt (85) and himself in contention.
Superior Audi duo
The first two were Daniel Abt and Lucas di Grassi from the Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler team. The German, who hails from Kempten, was untouchable in his home race, leading from start to finish and also setting the fastest race lap.
Only a slightly slower pit stop allowed his team-mate to close in on him briefly. However, the defending champion was content with his fourth second place in a row and never threatened the German team's one-two victory.
The absolute maximum number of points - no other team has achieved this in four seasons. At the end of a disastrous day in the DTM at the nearby Lausitzing, where four drivers (including Nico Müller) crashed and none of the other two finished in the points, this was balm on the wounds of the Audi strategists.
Four drivers are particularly looking forward to the race in Zurich
The tenth and next round of the FIA Formula E Championship will take place in Zurich on June 10. Daniel Abt showed Sébastien Buemi how to win his home race.
Unfortunately, the Allgäuer also considers the Swiss race as such, as he lives a few kilometers closer than the local hero from Aigle.
Edoardo Mortara from Geneva, who won his first DTM race for Mercedes on Saturday, will then also be back in the Venturi cockpit. And Nick Heidfeld, who has lived in Stäfa on Lake Zurich for many years, would like to end his dry spell in his adopted home.
So there is a good chance that one of this quartet will experience a similarly special day as Daniel Abt did in Berlin.
