Twitter Facebook Youtube

Closed Circuit: Faraday Future Dragon Racing in Mexico City

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

It was a day of unfulfilled potential for the Faraday Future Dragon Racing squad, having shown well in practice and running as high as second during the race. However, it wasn’t to be for the American team as Loic Duval visited the barrier in qualifying and an alternate strategy for Jerome d’Ambrosio failed to pay off.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”THE TEAM” color=”green”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion style=”outline” color=”green” c_icon=”chevron” active_section=”1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”The team’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512664883-ac9eb41a-467a5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

After a positive weekend in Buenos Aires, Faraday Future Dragon Racing arrived in Mexico City aiming to continue with the pace shown on Argentinian soil and to repeat last year’s result, with d’Ambrosio winning the race and Duval finishing in P4.

This year, however, luck was not on the American team’s side. Early on in FP2 and qualifying, a series of incidents made d’Ambrosio and Duval start the race from the last two positions on the grid. Thanks to an early pit stop, d’Ambrosio positioned himself in P2 for several laps before he lost power in the last lap, dropping to 14th in the final classification, whilst Duval had an issue on his car’s electrical system that did not allow him to get to the pits, having to retire early on the race.

The team now looks forward to Monaco, aiming to showcase the pace and the talent both drivers have. Faraday Future Dragon Racing currently sits seventh in the team standings.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Team mate comparison: qualifying” tab_id=”1461512175704-af49c202-f1e45043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” style=”modern” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Loic%20Duval%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%228%3B%2019%3B%2014%3B%2018%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jerome%20d’Ambrosio%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2218%3B%2017%3B%209%3B%2020%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23f7be68%22%7D%5D” title=”Team mate comparison: qualifying”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Team mate comparison: race” tab_id=”1461512175763-831c2584-42cf5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” style=”modern” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Loic%20Duval%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2214%3B%2018%3B%206%3B%2019%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jerome%20d’Ambrosio%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%227%3B%2013%3B%208%3B%2014%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23f7be68%22%7D%5D” title=”Team mate comparison: race”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The team says: “…“” tab_id=”1461512258191-0360a250-a68c5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings” tab_id=”1461512214611-352b21f1-c5375043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Faraday%20Future%20Dragon%20Racing%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%226%3B%207%3B%2019%3B%2019%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”Championship standings”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”LOIC DUVAL” color=”green”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion style=”outline” color=”green” c_icon=”chevron” active_section=”1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”Duval’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512310664-cbeb96df-4af05043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

Duval had promising pace early on in FP1, but things turned rather tough for the Frenchman, and he qualified last on the grid after smashing into the wall at turn one.

After eight laps of the race, the 34 year-old had moved up four places and was running consistently, until an issue on the electrical system of his car did not allow him to pit and caused his early retirement from the Mexico City ePrix.

Duval currently has nine points in the championship and lies 15th in the standings. He aims to score more points and show his enormous talent on the streets of Monaco next month.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lap chart” tab_id=”1461512310716-c8bf2e2d-dbb95043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Starting position; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Loic%20Duval%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2220%3B%2018%3B%2018%3B%2017%3B%2017%3B%2017%3B%2017%3B%2017%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2015%3B%2015%3B%2015%3B%2014%3B%2015%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%208%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%3B%2019%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%5D” title=”Duval: lap chart”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The race in numbers” tab_id=”1461512375203-dc62694e-d0395043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP1: 1:02.727s (P2)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP2: 1:02.882s (P10)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Best time in qualifying: 1:11.575s (P18)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Best time in the race: 1:04.152s (Lap 14)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: N/A

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Duval says: “…“” tab_id=”1461513354622-5577f4b1-edaf5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We started the day showing excellent pace during the practice sessions. I suffered an incident during qualifying and the team worked vigorously over the following three hours to get the car back up and running by race time.[/perfectpullquote]

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Our efforts today were comparable to those put forward in between rounds and I look forward to continuing to improve the car with the assistance of Faraday Future.”[/perfectpullquote]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings” tab_id=”1461513704972-abbca216-e1a55043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Loic%20Duval%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%220%3B%201%3B%209%3B%209%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%5D” title=”Championship standings”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”JEROME D’AMBROSIO” color=”green”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion style=”outline” color=”green” active_section=”1″ collapsible_all=”true”][vc_tta_section title=”d’Ambrosio’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512547855-b3644413-70595043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

After a difficult qualifying session, d’Ambrosio saw the red lights going out from P19. However, after a couple of laps, he moved up four places. The yellow flag period helped the 31 year-old as he pitted and emerged in second place behind Lucas di Grassi a few laps later, when the rest of the drivers came out of the mandatory car swaps.

The Belgian was able to fight with Brazilian di Grassi and strongly defended his position, when Jose Maria López and then Jean-Eric Vergne fought hard to overtake him. During the final lap, he lost power and ended the race in P14.

d’Ambrosio now goes to Monaco aiming to repeat the good results obtained in the Principality in 2015.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lap chart” tab_id=”1461512548457-fc72c98b-1a615043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Starting position; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35; 36; 37; 38; 39; 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jerome%20d’Ambrosio%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2219%3B%2017%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2016%3B%2015%3B%2015%3B%2015%3B%2015%3B%2015%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2014%3B%2017%3B%2019%3B%2018%3B%2018%3B%2018%3B%2018%3B%2018%3B%2019%3B%2018%3B%2014%3B%203%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%202%3B%203%3B%204%3B%2014%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”d’Ambrosio: lap chart”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The race in numbers” tab_id=”1461512549057-0abe4d02-33bc5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP1: 1:02.923s (P3)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP2: 1:03.747s (P18)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Best time in qualifying: No time (P20)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Best time in the race: 1:04.476s (Lap 10)

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 61.503s (+1.503s)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”d’Ambrosio says: “…“” tab_id=”1461513386630-de10c68d-06ab5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_column_text]

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We had a really good strategy in place at the start of the race considering our qualifying results. We fought hard to stay in front, but I didn’t have enough power hold up my position and complete the race.”[/perfectpullquote]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings” tab_id=”1461513723518-ee223709-f56c5043-b572f818-eaa5a537-c0ec”][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Hong Kong; Marrakesh; Buenos Aires; Mexico City” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Jerome%20d’Ambrosio%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%226%3B%206%3B%2010%3B%2010%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”Championship standings”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Images courtesy of Faraday Future Dragon Racing

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

About Topher Smith
Topher is an experienced and passionate Motorsport journalist with Formula E, Formula 1, GP2/F2, GP3 and IndyCar all on his resume. When he isn't at the trackside you can find him furthering his own capabilities and knowledge through his endless search for original ideas and material. Also plays league pool.