If the FIA Formula E Championship is ever going to present itself as a viable alternative to Formula One, it's going to need a race in Monaco. And that's just what it did this weekend, opening the European round of its inaugural season with a race through the streets of Monte Carlo.
The qualifying session saw Sebastien Buemi – the former F1 driver who won the electric race in Buenos Aires at the start of the year – claim pole position ahead of Lucas di Grassi, Jerome d'Ambrosio and Nelson Piquet, Jr. Daniel Abt, Nicolas Prost, Bruno Senna, Stephane Sarrazin, Salvador Duran and Sam Bird rounded out the top ten as numerous other former grand prix drivers were relegated to the back half of the grid.
Buemi held on to the lead off the line, with di Grassi in hot pursuit, but behind them chaos broke out when Prost and Abt headed into the first corner. Prost squeezed Abt into the wall, and with nowhere to go, Senna launched over Abt's car and crashed down on the other side. Numerous other cars got caught up in the melee.
Leading the field after the race got back under way once again was Buemi, but di Grassi wouldn't let him get away. The two fought hard for position as Piquet found his way past d'Ambrosio for third. Di Grassi headed to the pits early in an attempt to gain a strategic advantage over Buemi as Piquet closed in behind, but after the leading drivers were done swapping cars past the midpoint, Buemi emerged just in the lead. Di Grassi tried to pass him on the outside of the Harbour Hairpin but couldn't make it stick.
Meanwhile Piquet closed in on di Grassi, with more power – and the crucial FanBoost – in reserve, but couldn't get by. Sam Bird caught up with the dueling pair but couldn't get past either as Buemi held on to the lead.
Once the Buemi crossed the finish line, he became not only the first driver to win more than one Formula E race in the series' short history, but also the first to win from pole. The achievements came at the end of commanding performance from the Swiss driver.
Di Grassi finished a solid second, followed by Piquet, Bird, d'Ambrosio, Prost, Sarrazin, American driver Scott Speed, Charles Pic and Antonio Felix da Costa. Vergne managed no better than 15th place, but was awarded the inaugural Visa Trophy for having clocked the fastest lap.
Because di Grassi has performed more consistently, his second place finish helps him hold on to his lead in the standings with 93 points. Piquet follows in second with 89 points, while Buemi (having failed to score points in three races so far) has elevated himself to third with 83 points. The combined scores have e.dams-Renault (Prost and Buemi) well in the lead with 160 points, followed by Audi Sport Abt (di Grassi and Abt) with 115, Virgin Racing (Alguersuari and Bird) with 94, and NEXTEV TCR (Team China Racing with Piquet and Pic) with 93.
The qualifying session saw Sebastien Buemi – the former F1 driver who won the electric race in Buenos Aires at the start of the year – claim pole position ahead of Lucas di Grassi, Jerome d'Ambrosio and Nelson Piquet, Jr. Daniel Abt, Nicolas Prost, Bruno Senna, Stephane Sarrazin, Salvador Duran and Sam Bird rounded out the top ten as numerous other former grand prix drivers were relegated to the back half of the grid.
Buemi held on to the lead off the line, with di Grassi in hot pursuit, but behind them chaos broke out when Prost and Abt headed into the first corner. Prost squeezed Abt into the wall, and with nowhere to go, Senna launched over Abt's car and crashed down on the other side. Numerous other cars got caught up in the melee.
Leading the field after the race got back under way once again was Buemi, but di Grassi wouldn't let him get away. The two fought hard for position as Piquet found his way past d'Ambrosio for third. Di Grassi headed to the pits early in an attempt to gain a strategic advantage over Buemi as Piquet closed in behind, but after the leading drivers were done swapping cars past the midpoint, Buemi emerged just in the lead. Di Grassi tried to pass him on the outside of the Harbour Hairpin but couldn't make it stick.
Meanwhile Piquet closed in on di Grassi, with more power – and the crucial FanBoost – in reserve, but couldn't get by. Sam Bird caught up with the dueling pair but couldn't get past either as Buemi held on to the lead.
Once the Buemi crossed the finish line, he became not only the first driver to win more than one Formula E race in the series' short history, but also the first to win from pole. The achievements came at the end of commanding performance from the Swiss driver.
Di Grassi finished a solid second, followed by Piquet, Bird, d'Ambrosio, Prost, Sarrazin, American driver Scott Speed, Charles Pic and Antonio Felix da Costa. Vergne managed no better than 15th place, but was awarded the inaugural Visa Trophy for having clocked the fastest lap.
Because di Grassi has performed more consistently, his second place finish helps him hold on to his lead in the standings with 93 points. Piquet follows in second with 89 points, while Buemi (having failed to score points in three races so far) has elevated himself to third with 83 points. The combined scores have e.dams-Renault (Prost and Buemi) well in the lead with 160 points, followed by Audi Sport Abt (di Grassi and Abt) with 115, Virgin Racing (Alguersuari and Bird) with 94, and NEXTEV TCR (Team China Racing with Piquet and Pic) with 93.
Featured Gallery 2015 Formula E Monaco ePrix
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