In round eight of the Formula E electric racing series in Paris, Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt again electrified the crowd with spectacular fightbacks. After a difficult qualifying, the two Audi drivers made up a total of eleven positions in the race. Di Grassi finished runner-up for the third consecutive time, Abt advanced from 14th on the grid to seventh position.
In free practice in the morning, reigning champion di Grassi managed to set a new track record on the city street circuit near the Eiffel Tower. His teammate, Daniel Abt, was only a little slower. However, in qualifying, both drivers at relatively low track temperatures had difficulties getting the tires to work optimally. Di Grassi missed the “Super Pole” of the top five by a razor-thin margin of 0.005 seconds. Abt was only three-tenths of a second slower. Because of the extremely fierce competition in Formula E, the German ended up in 14th position – on a track on which overtaking is considered to be particularly difficult.
Di Grassi: Paris was an incredible race and an extremely tough one
As on many other occasions this season, both Audi drivers subsequently managed to fully use the potential of the Audi e-tron FE04. Abt in the first half overtook seven competitors. Shortly before the end of the race, he used the Fanboost to overtake former champion Sébastien Buemi in his Renault. On the last lap, the Swiss forced the issue and pushed past Abt again.
Another race another podium! Thanks ?? #PARIS amazing event incredible race @FIAFormulaE @audiformulae pic.twitter.com/mOSo2vugHj
— LUCAS DI GRASSI (@LucasdiGrassi) April 28, 2018
Di Grassi made up one position at the start. In the first half of the race, he saved so much energy that he was able to drive two laps longer than the front-runners. After a quick pit stop by Team Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, the Brazilian advanced to fourth position. With a series of fastest laps, he closed the gap to the front-runners, overtook Rome winner Sam Bird as well as André Lotterer on the last lap who had been running in second position up to that point.
“That was an incredible race and an extremely tough one,” said di Grassi following his third second place in succession and his 23rd podium in total in the electric racing series. “In the first part of the race, I saved energy. In the second part, I was able to go for all-out attack and clinch the trophy for second place. I’m overjoyed!”
— Audi Formula E (@audiformulae) April 30, 2018
