Putrajaya points for NEXTEV TCR after challenging day

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After a difficult opening race in Beijing two weeks ago, NEXTEV TCR Formula E team traveled to Putrajaya, Malaysia, hoping for an upturn in performance. While they endured another tough race day, they were able to bring home points courtesy of Nelson Piquet Jr.

After a free practice session in which both drivers struggled with the handling of their cars, and reigning champion Piquet Jr caused a red flag when he went off track, both Piquet and Oliver Turvey entered qualifying hoping for an improvement. However it did not come, as Piquet could only manage 16th on the grid, one place ahead of his British team-mate.

The early stages of the race saw both blue and black cars fail to make an impression on the points positions, with Turvey struggling with a throttle issue. This ultimately led to his retirement when his throttle stuck open, and he went straight into the barriers bringing out a safety car.

Piquet Jr, meanwhile, was passed by both Simona de Silvestro and Stephane Sarrazin in his first stint, but once again showed his strong energy management skills by pitting on lap 20 – no other driver in the field managed a longer first stint. After the car swaps, Piquet drove a consistent race, taking advantage of mechanical failures and crashes in front of him to record four points for an eighth place finish.

Speaking after the race, Piquet Jr said: “We did a bit of a different strategy and went longer with the first car. We got a bit lucky as a lot of cars broke down and there were a lot of problems ahead of us. I think that’s sort of going to be the plan for the whole year. Oliver did it in Beijing and got some points and I did it here. That’s our reality, to try to score points where we can. It’s tough coming off the back of a world championship but we’ll keep going and doing the best possible.”

A disappointed Turvey added: “I had a sticking throttle from the start that meant that when I lifted off the throttle the motor was still driving the car, so it was impossible to drive really. Then the car switched off in the hairpin on the first two laps so I was trying to manage and get round the laps to swap cars as soon as possible. But then I came into turn 5, which is a tight corner, and it just drove me straight forwards into the wall unfortunately.”

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Images of Nelson Piquet Jr courtesy of Rajan Jangda
Image of Oliver Turvey courtesy of FIA Formula E Media

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