ABT keeps Formula E title fight alive to the finale

Lucas di Grassi succeeded in keeping the FIA Formula E title fight alive down to the last race after taking a hard-fought fourth place and the fastest race lap. The Brazilian from the ABT Sportsline team lies 13 points behind championship leader Nelson Piquet Jr. before the all-important showdown on Sunday (start at 16:00 local time).

Motorsport fans look forward to the finale of the inaugural Formula E season, which could hardly be more exciting: three drivers – Nelson Piquet Jr (138), Sébastien Buemi (133) and Lucas di Grassi (125) – fight for the title in the eleventh and final race of the season. Only 13 points separate the leading group before the grand finale. Another 30 points including three for pole position and two for fastest lap are still to be awarded.

We have the most difficult position of all three title contenders, but this is motivating...

Lucas di Grassi

Lucas di Grassi has mounted the podium six times in the previous ten races. Although he missed out on another champagne shower on Saturday, fourth place and the fastest lap was enough to keep the title fight alive. Through the race, the Brazilian who drives for the only German team in the field inspired with the wheel-to-wheel battle against archrival Nelson Piquet Jr. The fellow Brazilian attacked di Grassi twice with the help of the extra power of the FanBoost – but the ABT driver defended superbly as the spectators cheered.

“Our goal before the weekend was to be in a position to fight for the title on Sunday – we achieved this today. Victory is of course always the goal, but sometimes you have to settle for the points for a fourth place,” said Lucas di Grassi. In the first half of the race, the battery in his electric racer reached the maximum operating temperature earlier than expected, which meant his team was forced to change the strategy.

After the mandatory pit stop including car change, di Grassi gunned for a podium finish and narrowly missed third place by two-and-a-half seconds. Lucas di Grassi: “”We have the most difficult position of all three title contenders, but this is motivating and with just one more qualifying and a race anything is possible tomorrow.”

Daniel Abt’s race only lasted for half of the 29 laps before the German slid into the wall. Just before, Abt had been involved in a tough battle with two competitors, during which parts of his car were obviously damaged, that made steering impossible.

ABT Sportsline