Formula E Flashback – the Beijing ePrix

Formula E sparks back into action this weekend with the Putrajaya ePrix in Malaysia. As we look forward to another exciting race, let’s take a look back at the championship’s dramatic debut in Beijing.

You better believe that the teams and drivers have taken full advantage of the long 10-week break since the Beijing ePrix on September 13 to crunch the numbers and draw up race plan for Putrajaya. In fact, with Formula E still in its infancy, they were grateful for the extra time – a luxury only allowed once in the 2014/15 calendar.

The question is: who has been working the hardest? We’ll have to wait until Saturday to find out, but for now let’s look back at the Beijing ePrix to get an idea of where this young new motorsport stands. 

Watch highlights of the Beijing ePrix!

Shakedown
On the afternoon before the motorsports world witnessed history in China, the Beijing ePrix circuit was opened. For the first time, the Formula E racecars ventured out onto the street circuit environment they’d been created for. It was an opportunity for the drivers to assess the circuit and for the teams to check the cars’ setup.

Practice
The first time the public got to see a Formula E car at full speed on a street circuit was the opening practice session on Saturday morning. With the entire event taking place in just a single day, the teams and drivers had packed agendas and simulation programs. In the first session, Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt) was fastest, ahead of Sebastien Buemi (e.dams-Renault) and Sam Bird (Virgin Racing). In the second session, Bruno Senna (Mahindra Racing) was on top, recording what would stand as the fastest lap of the weekend. 

“A cool head is more important than ever in Formula E. You’ve got to keep cool at all times.” (Lucas di Grassi of Team Audi Sport ABT)

Qualifying
Everyone believed the final of the four qualifying groups was the place to be, but it turned out the Group 3 outpaced the others, producing the grid’s front row with Nicolas Prost (e.dams-Renault) and di Grassi. Daniel Abt (Audi Sport Abt) was the only driver in Group 4 to surpass Karun Chandhok (Mahindra), recorded the fastest time in Group 1, and P3 for the race.

Race
Right before the start, Di Grassi, Senna and Katherine Legge (Amlin Aguri) learned they were the first three winners of the sport’s unique FanBoost, giving them two five-second power boost of 30kw (roughly 40bhp), which can be crucial for passing.

Then, just past 4pm (local time), after more than two years in the making, Formula E finally became a reality as the five red lights went out and the cars sped off the grid with a whir of electricity.

Prost led into the first corner after making the best getaway, but fans enjoyed some thrilling action in the opening corners as drivers fought for position. Andretti teammates Franck Montagny and Charles Pic even went wheel-to-wheel at one point.

At the same time a broken front left suspension ended Senna’s race at the second corner, and Trulli’s chronic problems continued, rendering a weekend he’d like to forget over.

Car-change pit stop
Jaime Alguersuari and Sarrazin started the car-change pit stop process on lap 13 of 25, while the top six came in for their car swap a lap later. Prost held onto the lead, but Venturi’s strategy paid dividends and Nick Heidfeld was vaulted into second. Sam Bird managed to get one more lap out of his Virgin Racing car and he pitted from the lead on lap 15.

Ever seen a car-change pit stop? Watch Katherine Legge practice at Donington Park in October.

Dramatic finish
With seven laps to go, Heidfeld and his pursuers started to reel Prost in. With four laps to go, the gap was down to less than a second. Heidfeld’s charge took him clear of di Grassi and Montagny and right onto Prost’s tail. On the penultimate lap through the last chicane Heidfeld closed in and made a faint attempt to the inside on the final corner. A lap later, he tried again but Prost slid left to cover it and the cars made contact. Heidfeld was sent spinning through the air, launching over the curbs and flying into barriers. Fortunately both drivers walked away unscathed.

The accident allowed di Grassi to take the checkered flag, with Montagny and Bird filling the podium places after Daniel Abt was penalized for having exceeded the amount of allotted battery energy.

“I have driven many different cars in many different series and I have to say that this is one of my best times in a car!“ (Franck Montagny, Team Andretti Formula E)

All in all Beijing demonstrated that Formula E is nothing if not unpredictable. But one thing’s for sure, it’s going to e-lectric!

Watch the Putrajaya ePrix live online this Saturday, November 22!