Formula e – Lucas di Grassi surprise winner in Mexico

Qualified in the last positions on the grid, Lucas di Grassi did not imagine before the start of the Mexico City ePrix that he would climb to the top of the podium on the Hermanos Rodriguez track.

Especially since in the first moments of the event, a contact causing damage to his rear wing seemed to further compromise his chances of appearing well under the checkered flag.

Having passed through the pits on the 17th lap, the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport driver was also forced to perfectly manage the batteries of his car to catch a glimpse of the finish, and in this sense was helped by the circumstances of the race.

di Grassi emerges in the lead

Starting from pole position after the penalty of the other ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport driver Daniel Abt after qualifying (illegal tire pressures), Oliver Turvey (NEXTEV) led the first laps of the event ahead of José Maria Lopez (DS Virgin Racing). But the Briton was forced to retire after stopping at the side of the track, leaving the field open to the Argentine driver.

Engaged in a fight with Jean-Eric Vergne (Techeetah), Lopez will maintain the advantage over the Frenchman even after the car change, but finds himself behind di Grassi and Jérôme d'Ambrosio (Faraday Future Dragon Racing), also placed on a strategy shifted from the leading peloton.

The lead of the two men was, however, reduced to nothing after the entry into action of the safety car to evacuate the car from Loïc duval (Faraday Future Dragon Racing), victim of a battery problem.

Unable to quickly overtake the Belgian driver on the restart, Lopez lost patience and made a mistake at the first corner, while di Grassi continued his effort in first position. D'Ambrosio will finally give in to Jean-Eric Vergne, who finished second behind di Grassi. Sam Bird (DS Virgin Racing) completes the podium.

Mitch Evans gives Panasonic Jaguar Racing a good fourth place ahead of Nicolas Cheers (Renault e.dams). José Maria Lopez finished sixth ahead of Daniel Abt, Adam Carroll (Panasonic Jaguar Racing), Nelson Piquet Jr (NEXTEV) and Esteban Gutiérrez (Techeetah) who scored points for his first ePrix.

Less success for Sébastien Buemi (Renault e.dams). Winner of the first three races of the season, the Swiss only took 14th place, after losing a lot of time during his passage to the pits, then after an error braking in the first corner and a spin.

Buemi, however, retains the championship lead by five points ahead of Lucas di Grassi before the next meeting scheduled in Monaco on May 13.

Mexico City ePrix ranking

Discover the full report of the Mexico City ePrix, in issue 2108 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.