Qualifying in London: one last crazy ride

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

After an eventful and due to a red flag also shortened first practice session and with FP2 cancelled, the drivers feel the pressure in qualifying more than ever. The last qualifying of the season might already have a huge effect on the championship as three additional points are available.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_tour][vc_tta_section title=”Group 1″ tab_id=”1459621372969-b19c37a4-57b9e29e-4f71″][vc_column_text]

Formed by Nicolas Prost (Renault e.dams), Loïc Duval (Dragon Racing), Jerome D’Ambrosio (Dragon Racing), Nelson Piquet Jr. (NEXTEV TCR), and Sam Bird (DS Virgin Racing) this first group will be interesting to watch. Yesterday’s race winner Prost, finished second in FP1 and is very likely to pass to Super Pole once again. Bird,is always a force to be reckoned with in qualifying and the DS Virgin Racing car seems to work well around the streets of London. Both Dragon Racing drivers usually know how to use their material best but struggled in London so far this weekend. Duval additionally will have to deal with a ten-place grid penalty due to a gearbox change. While the NextEV TCR looked strong yesterday – even though Oliver Turvey clearly had the edge on Nelson Piquet Jr – the team had to fight off some issues today and will not be a factor in Super Pole should qualifying go as expected.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Group 2″ tab_id=”1459621373100-0d0836bb-6adde29e-4f71″][vc_column_text]

Lucas Di Grassi (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler), Simona De Silvestro (MS Amlin Andretti), Ma Qing Hua (Team Aguri), Jean-Éric Vergne (DS Virgin Racing), and Mike Conway (Venturi) form the second group. Di Grassi, championship contender and still three points ahead of Buemi, will probably make it to Super Pole but has the slight disadvantage of not having practiced a full-power lap so far today. Conway and Vergne will be strong opponents, as both of them have shown their potential beforehand, while both de Silvestro and Ma struggled during FP1 and did not get much time on track.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Group 3″ tab_id=”1459621598104-0550d32e-0db3e29e-4f71″][vc_column_text]

Group 3 contains Sébastien Buemi (Renault e.dams), Daniel Abt (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler), Nick Heidfeld (Mahindra Racing), and Antonio Felix Da Costa (Team Aguri). Buemi topped the FP1 standings with a new track record and if everything goes his way, he will surely make it to Super Pole. Da Costa and Abt appear as the strongest opponents the Swiss has to face in this group, as both of them have previously had impressive qualifying times. While Bruno Senna showed a solid performance yesterday, the Mahindra Racing car is not the strongest car on track and therefore Heidfeld is not likely to be a factor in the battle for pole-position.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Group 4″ tab_id=”1459621599580-7c72f9b6-7f97e29e-4f71″][vc_column_text]

This last group is formed by Bruno Senna (Mahindra Racing), Robin Frijns (MS Amlin Andretti), Oliver Turvey (NEXTEV TCR), and Stéphane Sarrazin. If Senna continues as well as he did in qualifying yesterday, he can secure a strong position but is still unlikely to make it to Super Pole as the weather conditions were a big factor in his strong performance yesterday. Frijns and Sarrazin have done excellent qualifyings in the past but showed some weaknesses around Battersea Park this weekend.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_tour][/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]

Image courtesy of FIA Formula E Media

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