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- The very first E-Prix in Sao Paulo (Brazil) put on a great show
- DS Automobiles claimed its 22nd pole position, thanks to Stoffel Vandoorne
- Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne brought home points for fifth and places after a challenging race run in very hot conditions
The very first visit to Brazil for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the Sao Paulo street circuit proved to be a fantastic spectacle, thanks to an unusual track with long straights, grandstands packed with passionate fans, and an exciting race with battles all the way down the field. Among the key players in the pack of 100% electric racing cars were the two black and gold DS E-TENSE FE23 cars, entered by premium carmaker DS Automobiles and its partner PENSKE AUTOSPORT.
In scorching conditions with temperatures in excess of 35 degrees centigrade, Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne finished fifth and sixth respectively, after a race marked by two safety car periods.
The reigning world champion from Belgium confirmed his return to form from the start with a superb pole position: his first for DS Automobiles. As is often the case in Formula E, the poleman doesn’t always have an advantage in the race, especially on this rapid circuit where slipstreaming can allow those behind to save energy by tucking in behind the leader.
Stoffel was in front for the first half of the race and so consumed a bit more energy than his rivals. From that point, the reigning champion had to save energy in the closing stages, and so slipped to sixth place in order to make the finish.
Jean-Éric Vergne was constantly fighting in the top five, having got underway from seventh on the grid, and as usual he left nothing on the table. The Frenchman claimed precious championship points by finishing fifth.
After six races, the DS PENSKE team has made the most of this double points finish to get back to fourth place in the teams’ classification; just one point off the provisional podium. In four weeks the ABB FIA Formula E championship will reach the mid-season point in Germany, with a double-header at Berlin-Tempelhof airport from April 22-23: a circuit that’s well-known to the drivers and teams.
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