Formula E - 2019 SAUDIA Diriyah E-Prix - Alexander Sims Preview
For the first time in Formula E’s history, a complete grid of 24 cars will go head-to-head around the 21 turn, 2.494km circuit - with German giants Mercedes-Benz and Porsche going head-to-head with rivals Audi and BMW for the first time in any international series - solidifying the most competitive line-up in motorsport. The suspense of pre-season testing didn’t disappoint, with 22 cars setting times within a single second of each other. BMW i Andretti Motorsport debutant Maximilian Guenther topped the timesheets in his first public outing for the German-marque, with MAHINDRA RACING’s Pascal Wehrlein in second and GEOX DRAGON’s newest recruit, Nico Mueller in third.
In Formula E, experience is everything, and that was demonstrated with both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche doing limited running compared to the rest of the pack, with the Porsche pairing and Andre Lotterer and Neel Jani - and Mercedes-Benz EQ duo Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries getting to grips with new machinery.
Last year in Diriyah, a wet morning scuppered chances of a full qualifying session but Antonio Felix da Costa managed to put it on Julius Baer pole position for the first time in the Gen2 era. An exhilarating track with a lot of camber created an electrifying spectacle with the Portuguese driver bringing it home for BMW’s first win as a manufacturer in the sport.
Following a drive-through penalty for a technical infringement, reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne (DS TECHEETAH) had to settle for second place with Jerome D’Ambrosio rounding out the podium places in his first race with MAHINDRA RACING.
In Formula E, experience is everything, and that was demonstrated with both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche doing limited running compared to the rest of the pack, with the Porsche pairing and Andre Lotterer and Neel Jani - and Mercedes-Benz EQ duo Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries getting to grips with new machinery.
Last year in Diriyah, a wet morning scuppered chances of a full qualifying session but Antonio Felix da Costa managed to put it on Julius Baer pole position for the first time in the Gen2 era. An exhilarating track with a lot of camber created an electrifying spectacle with the Portuguese driver bringing it home for BMW’s first win as a manufacturer in the sport.
Following a drive-through penalty for a technical infringement, reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne (DS TECHEETAH) had to settle for second place with Jerome D’Ambrosio rounding out the podium places in his first race with MAHINDRA RACING.