Formula E: Di Grassi wins the top position for the 1st race

Photo: Ryan Remiorz, The canadian Press
The Brazilian Lucas di Grassi has signed a time of one minute and 22,869 seconds on the street circuit of 2.75 km.

Lucas di Grassi has won the position of head in anticipation of the first race of the double header this weekend in the Formula electric (FE) in the ePrix of Montreal, raising at the same time the race to the drivers championship.

Di Grassi, who is currently second in the standings, has signed a time of one minute and 22,869 seconds on the street circuit of 2.75 km. It has reduced 0,169 second to the time of the leader in the championship and reigning champion of FE, Sebastian Buemi.

“This is task no. 1 race no. 1, but there is still the race to negotiate,” said di Grassi. Of course, we start the weekend off on the right foot, but there’s still plenty of things to do. “

The position of the head was reported by three rating points to di Grassi, which has reduced the gap between Buemi and di Grassi to just seven points.

Buemi will have bread on the board to limit the damage in the race. The Swiss has been sentenced to a penalty of 10 places on the starting grid because of the parts he damaged by destroying his car during the second free practice session in the morning had to be replaced. Buemi will therefore 12.

Stéphane Sarrazin will start from second place on the grid, ahead of team-mate Buemi at Renault, e. Dams, Nicolas Prost. The top-5 was completed by the holder of the third rank in the championship, the pilot Mahindra Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist, and the driver Techeetah Jean-Éric Vergne.

All of the drivers in the top-6 or top-7 represent a threat. It will really be up to how the race will take place, strategies that will be preferred and energy management. I’m very confident, but nothing is played before the chequered flag.
Lucas Di Grassi

In qualifications, four groups of five drivers — determined by a random draw prior — rushed to turn on the track, and the five fastest riders, all groups combined, are then subjected to the super-pole. At the end of this session, the first five places are awarded on the starting grid, and three classification points are awarded to the author of the pole position.

The points of the race are awarded to the first 10 classified drivers. The winner receives 25 points, against 18 for the holder of the second place and 15 for the one who finishes third. A point will also be awarded to the author of the best lap in the race.

The qualifying session took place under a radiant sun, and the thermometer was 21 degrees Celsius. The first race of the double header this weekend for the ePrix of Montreal will begin at 16h.

A race against the clock for Buemi

A little earlier in the morning, the cars have made their first real laps of the track in the streets of the metropolis, and as is often the case in the beginning of the weekend, the track was dusty — and this has contributed to reduce the grip of the tires.

The morning has, therefore, been marked by numerous runway excursions, and one of them could well have an impact on the race to the drivers championship of FE.

While he remained five minutes in the second session of free practice sessions, Buemi was hanging on the inside of the chicane at turn # 13 before going to crush his Renault e. Dams directly in the wall of security on the other side, in the corner no. 14.

He escaped unharmed, but his car suffered heavy damage — the front suspension is completely disintegrated, as is her muzzle. As a result, the test session was stopped to remove the car and restore the safety barriers.

I just badly negotiated the exit of the last chicane and couldn’t avoid the wall. It has hit very hard, but I am O. K..
Sebastien Buemi

In a race against time then ensued at Renault, e. Dams to return the car in a state in anticipation of the race, held five hours later. Buemi has participated in the qualifications with only one car, but must have two for the race.

“I haven’t been able to see the car, so I don’t know if we will be able to fix the car or not,” said few minutes after the incident the co-owner of Renault e. Dams, Jean-Paul Driot, obviously worried.