Di Grassi wins second London race as Vandoorne extends championship lead

Formula E

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Lucas di Grassi has won the second London Formula E race, having played a strategic game to outdo Jake Dennis with Attack Mode.

Dennis had taken another dominant pole position earlier in the day. Di Grassi started the race alongside him, with Antonio Giovinazzi and Antonio Felix Da Costa on the row behind.

Drivers were permitted three Attack Mode activations of four minutes each for the second race, one more than on Saturday, but ultimately the same amount of time.

The title protagonists had all failed to make the duels stage in qualifying. Jean-Eric Vergne qualified 10th with Mitch Evans and Stoffel Vandoorne shared row seven and Edoardo Mortara was down in 17th.

Vergne’s race ended on lap one with radiator damage. Oliver Askew and Oliver Rowland came together on the ramp section of the track and Rowland’s car briefly lifted itself on Askew’s, riding up on the wheel cover of the Andretti in an incident reminiscent of Alex Lynn’s Diriyah crash last year.

Fortunately, Rowland’s car did not launch but crashed back down to the track, breaking its suspension, Rowland limping back to the Mahindra pit. On the same lap Dan Ticktum retired with a visibly damaged car after hitting a barrier, knocking his right-front wheel onto its side.

The Safety Car was consequently called for while marshals cleared the circuit of debris and cars. The race restarted with just under 40 minutes remaining, Dennis holding the lead and Nyck de Vries taking the opportunity to activate Attack Mode and briefly move up to second.

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Giovinazzi successfully defended third from Da Costa and looked like a podium contender until he was announced as being under investigation for over-use of power. He was given a drive-through penalty, sending him to the back of the field and ultimately retired in the pits.

Askew was also issued a drive-through penalty for the collision with Rowland, which also saw him retire. Nick Cassidy, who slowed behind the safety car with a mechanical issue, retired as well.

Dennis and Di Grassi fought through the middle phase of the race, Dennis losing the lead to Dennis briefly when he activated his second Attack Mode. Dennis was able to overtake Di Grassi but the Venturi driver stayed close with him and was able to avoid any threat from De Vries behind, as the Mercedes came under pressure from Mitch Evans.

When Dennis took his final Attack Mode, Di Grassi got ahead of Dennis again and this time was able to pull away, De Vries being close enough that Dennis had to defend from him more than attack Di Grassi. Di Grassi was able to continue to pull out a lead in the final laps, of more than three seconds by the race end.

Three minutes were added to the race time due to the Safety Car. Mitch Evans’ car then slowed at the chicane, then went off track. He crawled back to the pits, losing fourth place and handing it – and a 36-point title lead – to Stoffel Vandoorne.

Di Grassi saw the chequered flag first, Dennis and De Vries following him over the line. Di Grassi’s win puts Venturi ahead of DS Techeetah in the teams’ championship but still trailing leaders Mercedes.

It is Di Grassi’s first win for Venturi, his 13th in Formula E, bringing him even with Sebastien Buemi for the most career victories in the series.

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DriverTeam
1Lucas di GrassiVenturi
2Jake DennisAndretti
3Nyck de VriesMercedes EQ
4Stoffel VandoorneMercedes EQ
5Antonio Felix da CostaDS Techeetah
6Sebastien BuemiNissan e.Dams
7Robin FrijnsEnvision
8Sam BirdJaguar
9Sergio Sette CamaraDragon Penske
10Pascal WehrleinPorsche
11Alexander SimsMahindra
12André LottererPorsche
13Edoardo MortaraVenturi
14Oliver TurveyNIO 333
15Maximilian GüntherNissan e.Dams
DNFMitch EvansJaguar
DNFNick CassidyEnvision
DNFOliver AskewAndretti
DNFAntonio GiovinazziDragon Penske
DNFJean-Eric VergneDS Techeetah
DNFDan TicktumNIO 333
DNFOliver RowlandMahindra
Teppei NatoriTrident

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Author information

Hazel Southwell
Hazel is a motorsport and automotive journalist with a particular interest in hybrid systems, electrification, batteries and new fuel technologies....

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One comment on “Di Grassi wins second London race as Vandoorne extends championship lead”

  1. Vandoorne’s title to loose now!

    Will he crack under pressure in Seoul?

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