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After starting the season with a showdown in Saudi Arabia followed by the madness of Marrakesh, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship moves to the leafy streets of Santiago in Chile for round three. In just two races, we’ve seen two different drivers take the top step of the podium (both unlikely heroes) and witnessed firm favourites fall down the standings, giving way to underdogs, hungry for the taste of victory. As the Championship moves to its third continent, the bitter rivalry between our three Brazilian drivers intensifies, with the potential to reach its climax on the streets of Santiago. Expect bodywork as well as verbal blows to go down in the Chilean capital.
With just days to go until the lights go green in Parque O’Higgins on Saturday, January 26, here’s all you need to know about the season so far.
The underdogs' reign supreme…
Two races. Two different winners. Both of them from the back of the pack. Welcome to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship - the most unpredictable championship on the planet. After the season-opening showdown in Saudi Arabia and the madness of Marrakesh, the underdogs have the edge after BMW i Andretti Motorsport’s Antonio Felix da Costa clinched the win in the first race and Mahindra’s Jerome d’Ambrosio took his first chequered flag in Formula E in Marrakesh - impressive considering both drivers finished 15th and 14th respectively last season. But it doesn’t stop there – it’s a similar story over in the teams’ standings. Audi customer team Envision Virgin Racing handed it to the manufacturers after scooping second and third place in Marrakesh, catapulting them into fourth in the standings – a full three places ahead of reigning champions and manufacturer-backed Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler who use the same equipment as the Envision squad. Expect more of the same in Santiago – anyone can win in Formula E.
…While the firm favourites fall from grace
With celebrations raging at Mahindra and Envision Virgin Racing, it’s a little more subdued over at firm favourites Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler after it lost out to its own customer team in Marrakesh leaving it seventh in the standings. Still yet to reach the podium this season, it looks like another slow start for the German manufacturer team. Can it play catch up again and clinch the teams’ title? Time will tell.
For fellow favourites BMW i Andretti Motorsport, the German-backed team had a spectacular fail in Marrakesh after da Costa collided with his teammate, throwing away a clear one-two win. "We would have taken the win. For sure,” said da Costa. “For me, I wanted to win badly but now, standing here with nothing - a second place would have been amazing. Lesson learnt," he added, regretfully.
And as for our reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah), the pressure of defending a title seemed to get the better of him in Marrakesh, as an overambitious overtake on the first corner sent him spinning into oncoming traffic. Recovering well, the Frenchman made his way back up the pack to finish fifth.
Bitter Brazilian rivalry rages on
After Panasonic Jaguar Racing's Nelson Piquet Jn. and Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler exchanged blows as well as bodywork in Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian rivalry raged on in Marrakesh as Piquet Jn, brought fellow Brazilian Felipe Massa into the fray. Following an albeit slightly suspect move from the former Formula One ace, during Practice 2, Nelson Piquet Jn. didn't waste any time in labelling him an "amateur" to which Massa responded he had “no time” for the Jaguar racer. With all three Brazilian drivers fuelling the fierce rivalry as we head to South America, could tensions spill onto the streets in Santiago?
Top talent finding it tricky
What do Stoffel Vandoorne, Pascal Wehrlein, Felipe Massa (all ex-Formula One) and Gary Paffet (reigning DTM Champion) all have in common? Yes, they’re all top talents in the racing world but they’re also yet to score a single point in Formula E. That’s right, not a single point has been gained between them in two races. Think Formula E’s easy? Think again. With one of the best driver lineups in the world, the all-electric street racing championship proves once again to be a tough series to master.