Paris (AFP)
Two out of two: Portugal's Antonio Félix da Costa (DS Techeetah) won the second Berlin ePrix from pole position on Thursday, like the first one the day before, to increase his lead in the Formula E championship.
It is even the third consecutive victory for the 28-year-old driver, who won the last race in Marrakech at the end of February before a five-month hiatus caused by the new coronavirus pandemic.
After seven races out of eleven, Da Costa has a 68-point lead in the drivers' standings, while his advantage stood at eleven lengths before the 2019-2020 season resumes at the old Tempelhof airport on Wednesday.
"Those kind of days and momentum are rare. I'm happy that it's happening to me right now," commented the person, who still dominated qualifying very comfortably, with a 4/10 lead. He notes, however, that in the race "the field is tightening day by day and (expects) that the next races will be more difficult."
The Swiss Sébastien Buemi (Nissan e.dams) and the Brazilian Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler), who suddenly take second place in the championship tied on points with the Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne ( Mercedes).
The two-time defending French champion Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah) has not finished with the annoyances that overwhelm him this season. Eighth on the starting grid, far from his untouchable teammate, he finished 10th, let down by his tires at the end of the race, and fell back to 12th in the drivers' standings.
Also note the agreed upon New Zealander Mitch Evans (Panasonic Jaguar Racing), who did not score any points in two races when he arrived in Berlin in second place in the standings.
This event, contested behind closed doors, in accordance with strict sanitary measures and with less than 1,000 people on site, is the second in a series of six in nine days at the same place coming to end the season.
Two ePrix on the same route traveled in the opposite direction are scheduled on Saturday and Sunday at 19:00 (17:00 GMT). The last races will be contested on a narrower and more tortuous version of this course on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ranking of the second Berlin ePrix, round 7 out of 11 of the 2019-2020 Formula E season:
1. Antonio Félix da Costa (POR / DS Techeetah) 38 laps in 46: 19.412
2. Sébastien Buemi (SUI / Nissan e.dams) at 3.090
3. Lucas di Grassi (BRA / Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler) 8.296
4. Robin Frijns (NED / Envision Virgin Racing) 9.239
5. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL / Mercedes-Benz) 9.695
...
10. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA / DS Techeetah) 20.919
Driver's championship ranking after 7 out of 11 rounds:
1. Antonio Félix da Costa (POR) 125 pts
2. Lucas di Grassi (BRA) 57
3. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL) 57
4. Mitch Evans (NZL) 56
5. Sam Bird (GBR) 52
...
12. Jean-Eric Vergne 32
© 2020 AFP