São Paulo – Qualifications: Vandoorne back in business!

Group A: Vandoorne back, Wehrlein and Vergne on the mat

For the very first qualifications contested in Brazil, for the São Paulo E-Prix, it was the reigning champion, Stoffel Vandoorne, who was the fastest in Group A. The DS-Penske driver, in difficulty since the start of the season, set the best time in 1'12"761, ahead of Nick Cassidy, Edoardo Mortara and Jake Hughes, all qualified for the quarter-finals.

Deux gros noms sont parmi les éliminés : Pascal Wehrlein, leader du championnat, et Jean-Éric Vergne, 3e au classement général. L’Allemand a endommagé sa Porsche dans son dernier tour rapide et n’a pas pu améliorer, ne recueillant que le 8e temps du Groupe A devant Sergio Sette Camara.

Sette Câmara breaks down on track causing a red flag!

Qualifying is now back in progress ⚡️@juliusbaer #SaoPauloEPrice

— Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) March 25, 2023

In front of his audience, the Brazilian experienced an ordeal session: after causing a red flag mid-session for a problem with his NIO 333, Sette Camara then drove too fast under a red flag regime (and should be penalized by the commissioners) then saw his last time canceled. He is also under investigation for “overkill”.

Group B: The Jaguars roar, Dennis trapped

In the second qualifying group, the good performance can be attributed to the Jaguars. Sam Bird was the fastest in Group B with a time of 1'12"669, while Mitch Evans narrowly qualified in the top 4. The two drivers will be accompanied by Antonio Félix da Costa and Maximilian Günther: both Maseratis made it out of the group stage.

The two Frenchmen from Nissan, Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz, were eliminated, as were two championship leaders, Jake Dennis (2nd in the driver standings) and Sébastien Buemi. The Swiss fails in the group stage for the first time this season.

For his first home race in Formula E, Lucas di Grassi was no luckier than his compatriot Sergio Sette Camara. The Mahindra driver broke his steering by hitting the wall on the inside of a turn and was unable to set a single fast time.

The final picture: Vandoorne, the rebirth

Almost a year after his last pole position in Formula E (2022 Rome E-Prix), Stoffel Vandoorne took pole position in São Paulo, the 8th of his career. The reigning world champion, disappointing since the start of the season (11 points in 5 races), found a second health in Brazil, after a month's break in the electric championship.

The Belgian dominated the qualifications: author of the best time in his group, he then beat Jake Hughes, Edoardo Mortara and finally Antonio Félix da Costa in the final. The Porsche driver, winner in Cape Town, continues his good momentum and will start from the front row.

Quarter-finals:

Edward Mortara vs. Nick Cassidy

Jake Hughes vs. Stoffel vandoorne

Antonio Felix da Costa vs. Maximilian Gunther

Mitch Evans vs. Sam Bird

Semi-finals:

Edoardo Mortara vs. Stoffel vandoorne

Antonio Felix da Costa vs. Mitch Evans

Final:

Stoffel vandoorne vs. Antonio Felix da Costa

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