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Closed Circuit: ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport in London

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The second Formula E season came to an end in London with a pair of up and down races for the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport squad. Lucas di Grassi was fourth on Saturday but crashed on Sunday to lose the drivers’ championship by two points, while Daniel Abt bounced back from a crash of his own on Saturday to take P2 on Sunday, helping his team finish second in the teams’ standings.

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With an outside chance of taking the teams’ championship away from Renault eDams, and with Lucas di Grassi holding a slender one point lead over Sébastien Buemi in the drivers’ title race, it was all to play for on Saturday. Rain heavily affected qualifying, meaning di Grassi would start P10 (two places ahead of his title rival) with Abt in P6. The first few laps saw di Grassi make up places and find his way past his team-mate, who then did all he could to keep Buemi behind – a feat he managed for ten laps. Once Buemi got past, he would pressure di Grassi for most of the rest of the race. However the Brazilian would hold on for P4 despite a damaged front wing sustained after contact with Jean-Éric Vergne. Abt, meanwhile, spun in tricky conditions and hit Robin Frijns while running P8, ending both of their races.

Buemi took pole position on Sunday meaning he went into the season finale level on points with di Grassi, who started third behind Buemi’s team-mate Nicolas Prost. On the run down to turn 3 on the very first lap, di Grassi hit Buemi, damaging both cars and meaning both drivers had to swap them. The two title contenders then both tried to set fastest lap to gain the two points required to be champion, a feat Buemi eventually managed. Abt emerged from the first lap carnage in P3, and moved up to P2 with a pass on fellow German Nick Heidfeld – a position he would hold until the end of the race.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Team mate comparison: qualifying” tab_id=”1461512175704-af49c202-f1e45043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_line_chart type=”line” style=”modern” x_values=”Beijing; Putrajaya; Punta del Este; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Long Beach; Paris; Berlin; London 1; London 2″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Lucas%20di%20Grassi%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%224%3B%206%3B%204%3B%207%3B%203%3B%202%3B%202%3B%208%3B%2010%3B%203%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Daniel%20Abt%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2211%3B%2010%3B%207%3B%208%3B%204%3B%206%3B%2014%3B%203%3B%206%3B%206%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-b572853b-7c50″][vc_line_chart type=”line” style=”modern” x_values=”Beijing; Putrajaya; Punta del Este; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Long Beach; Paris; Berlin; London 1; London 2″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Lucas%20di%20Grassi%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%222%3B%201%3B%202%3B%203%3B%2018%3B%201%3B%201%3B%203%3B%204%3B%2014%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Daniel%20Abt%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2211%3B%207%3B%208%3B%2013%3B%207%3B%203%3B%2010%3B%202%3B%2018%3B%202%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-b572853b-7c50″][vc_column_text]

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Hans-Jürgen Abt: “In just its second year Formula E has established its place as one of the world’s most thrilling and innovative racing series. Alejandro Agag and his team can only be congratulated on having achieved this feat. And with a view towards next year’s calendar it’s clear that we can look forward to the future. My thanks go to our mechanics, engineers, partners, fans and our drivers, Daniel and Lucas. They shaped the season with their performances and demeanour and made for many moments that will remain unforgettable. We’re going to draw new motivation from this and in future give everything again to be in contention for trophies, champagne and the championship. Lucas in particular demonstrated such great stature at the moment of supposed defeat that we’d love to start competing again tomorrow.”[/pullquote]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings” tab_id=”1461512214611-352b21f1-c5375043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Beijing; Putrajaya; Punta del Este; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Long Beach; Paris; Berlin; London 1; London 2″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22ABT%20Schaeffler%20Audi%20Sport%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2218%3B%2049%3B%2071%3B%2086%3B%2092%3B%20132%3B%20158%3B%20191%3B%20203%3B%20221%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=”Lucas di Grassi” 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=”Lucas di Grassi’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512310664-cbeb96df-4af05043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_column_text]

Saturday saw rain affect qualifying, and with both di Grassi and title rival Buemi in the same group, it was the Brazilian who put in the quicker time – he started 10th with Buemi in 12th. In the opening five laps, di Grassi was able to get ahead of WEC team-mate Loïc Duval, Mahindra’s Nick Heidfeld and then team-mate Abt to run seventh.

Further passes on Sam Bird and Robin Frijns came between laps 12 and 19, by which point di Grassi had title rival Buemi right on his tail. After a safety car caused by team-mate Abt crashing, di Grassi tried to pass Vergne for P3 at the restart, but the Frenchman closed the door and broke part of di Grassi’s front wing. Luckily, the broken piece came off and the Brazilian was able to keep his P4 right until the end of the race, extending his championship advantage to three points going into Sunday.

Sunday saw a rapid qualifying time by di Grassi in Superpole being beaten very narrowly by Renault eDams’ Nicolas Prost, before Buemi took pole, scoring three points and tying up the driver’s standings. The start of the race saw di Grassi trying aggressively to pass Prost into turn 3; however he was caught out by Buemi ahead, who he felt braked earlier than usual, smashing into the back of the Swiss driver’s car. Both title contenders limped back to the pits, changed cars and went for fastest lap. Lucas put in a 1.24.633, a lap in which “I squeezed every hundredth out of my car, the 1:24.6 was a lap where I was less than an inch from every wall on the track” – but Buemi’s 1.24.150 was simply too quick, and the Swiss racer won the title by just two points.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lap chart” tab_id=”1461512310716-c8bf2e2d-dbb95043-b572853b-7c50″][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″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Saturday%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2210%3B9%3B9%3B8%3B8%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B6%3B4%3B6%3B6%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B5%3B4%3B4%3B4%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Sunday%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%223%3B18%3B17%3B17%3B17%3B17%3B17%3B16%3B16%3B16%3B15%3B15%3B14%3B14%3B14%3B14%3B14%3B14%3B14%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%5D” title=”Lucas di Grassi: lap chart”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The race in numbers – Saturday” tab_id=”1461512375203-dc62694e-d0395043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP1: 1.26.008

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Best time in FP2: 1.23.412

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Best time in qualifying: 1.35.711

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Best time in the race: 1.27.669 (lap 27)

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Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 71.6s (1.6s above minimum time)

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Best time in FP1: 1.25.039

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Best time in qualifying: 1.22.975 (in Superpole session)

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Best time in the race: 1.24.633 (lap 18)

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Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 179.66s (109.66s above minimum time)

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Saturday:

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“What we have to do, again, is very simple: we optimise the car, get the maximum out of the car, and try to get the most points as possible tomorrow. If Buemi’s behind, we fight very hard; if he’s 20 seconds in front, that’s it.
“What we had to show from my team, from my driving, this season, was already shown. […] We’re going to fight hard, we’re going to fight fair, we’re going to try to get this championship but either way, what happens tomorrow, should respect Seb and respect all the work we did.”[/pullquote]

Read more from di Grassi on Saturday here.

Sunday:

[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“The decision is made in a split second, and I was looking at Nico, and Nico was at that moment braking. When I realised that Seb slowed the car very early, I was already braking so tried to put more brake pressure and locked my wheels, but I had no control of the car any more and the incident happened.
“We go back home, of course sad as we lost the championship, but heads high as we did a miracle to fight to the last race.
“I look back on this championship with no regrets whatsoever.”[/pullquote]

Read more from di Grassi on Sunday here.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings” tab_id=”1461513704972-abbca216-e1a55043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Beijing; Putrajaya; Punta del Este; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Long Beach; Paris; Berlin; London 1; London 2″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Lucas%20di%20Grassi%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2218%3B%2043%3B%2061%3B%2076%3B%2076%3B%20101%3B%20126%3B%20141%3B%20153%3B%20153%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=”Daniel Abt” 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=”Daniel Abt’s race in words” tab_id=”1461512547855-b3644413-70595043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_column_text]

In Saturday’s rain-affected qualifying, Abt put in a very impressive 1.29.814 to go P6, the quickest of anyone after the rain started to fall. He fell back one place at the start as Sam Bird passed him, and on lap five did not make it difficult for team-mate di Grassi to get past. He spent the next ten laps preventing Buemi from overtaking, putting in an impressive rearguard action to aid his team-mate. He also passed Bird on lap 14 before Buemi got past next time by. He was P8 after the car swaps, but as the rain started to fall he was caught out on a slippery track, spinning and hitting Robin Frijns. This ended both of their races.

Sunday saw Abt qualify P6 again, in the dry this time, and was up to P3 already on lap 1 after di Grassi and Buemi’s crash and a pass on Oliver Turvey. The early stages saw him pressure fellow German racer Nick Heidfeld, eventually passing the Mahindra driver on lap 17, just before the car swaps started. After this phase, he remained in P2 – a position he would maintain until the end, as he was not able to catch Nicolas Prost who took his second victory of the weekend.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Lap chart” tab_id=”1461512548457-fc72c98b-1a615043-b572853b-7c50″][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″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Saturday%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%226%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B7%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B8%3B7%3B7%3B6%3B8%3B8%3B8%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Sunday%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%226%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B3%3B2%3B3%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%3B2%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22turquoise%22%7D%5D” title=”Daniel Abt: lap chart”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”The race in numbers – Saturday” tab_id=”1461512549057-0abe4d02-33bc5043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_column_text]

Best time in FP1: 1.25.742

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Best time in FP2: 1.23.302

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Best time in qualifying: 1.29.814

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Best time in the race: 1.29.098 (lap 13)

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Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 70.6s (0.6s above minimum time)

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Best time in FP1: 1.25.056

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Best time in qualifying: 1.23.494

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Best time in the race: 1.27.224 (lap 26)

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Pit stop time and difference to minimum pit stop time: 70.914 (0.914s above minimum time)

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Championship standings” tab_id=”1461513723518-ee223709-f56c5043-b572853b-7c50″][vc_line_chart type=”line” x_values=”Beijing; Putrajaya; Punta del Este; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; Long Beach; Paris; Berlin; London 1; London 2″ values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Daniel%20Abt%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%220%3B6%3B10%3B10%3B16%3B31%3B32%3B50%3B50%3B68%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]

Laurence Thorn | e-racing.net

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Images courtesy of Rajan Jangda

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