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    Formula E: Lucas Di Grassi was left with mixed emotions after ending Audi’s two-year win drought in Mexico

    LUCAS DI GRASSI was left with mixed emotions after securing Audi’s first victory in two years at the Puebla ePrix in Mexico. It was a one-two finish for the German manufacturer with Di Grassi’s teammate and three-time DTM champion Rene Rast finishing in second place.
    Former Formula E champion Lucas Di Grassi won in Mexico
    Di Grassi screamed as he celebrated the victory through the team radio but ultimately he is sad to see Audi leaving the all-electric series at the end of the season after this breakthrough win.
    Speaking to Autosport, Di Grassi said: “To be fully honest with you, it’s very frustrating that Audi is leaving this season.
    “We worked so hard to develop a new powertrain. This is the first powertrain that was fully developed by Audi from scratch in-house.
    “We did a lot of work, we put a lot of effort and we developed a winning car.

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    Lucas Di Grassi (left) and Rene Rast (right) celebrated a one-two finish for Audi

    “For Audi to leave, considering that next year will be exactly the same powertrain and we’ll have a winning powertrain again, it’s very frustrating.”
    The two Audi’s crossed the line in second and third place respectively behind the on-road victor Pascal Wehrlein.
    But the former F1 driver Wehrlein was disqualified after the race due to a technical infringement after Porsche failed to specify its tyre allocation to the FIA.
    The Formula E paddock race in Puebla again tonight to cap off a double-header in Mexico, with the lights going out on the grid at 10pm.
    Alex Lynn rushed to hospital after horror Formula E crash as car flips in air and skids along ground upside down More

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    Formula E announce two races in London’s Docklands this year

    FORMULA E bosses plan to host two races around London’s Docklands in July.The racetrack features an indoor and outdoor section in a sporting first and will run through the ExCeL exhibition centre.
    Formula E’s car was parked outside of No. 10 in 2019
    The races are scheduled for July 24th and 25th and will form part of a 15-race championship.
    Last year, the two London ePrixs were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic with the ExCeL being converted into the Nightingale emergency hospital.
    However, FE are now confident of putting the race on as originally planned, with two races in New York also back on the schedule.
    The all-electric championship has also picked a new venue for its Mexican round, switching to the Autodromo Miguel E. Abed in Puebla.
    This is because the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, which also hosts the F1 race, is currently being used as a temporary hospital.
    Formula E is preparing for a street race in London
    Formula E chairman and founder Alejandro Agag previously said the race could become a world-renowned event.
    Agag said: “We believe it will become one of the flagship events in global motorsport, right up there with the likes of Monaco, Macau and Le Mans.
    “It’s a race any category would be proud to have on its calendar.”
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    BMW’s British rookie Jake Dennis dominated in Valencia to win his first Formula E race

    BRIT Jake Dennis showed great maturity to dominate the second race in Valencia to clinch his first Formula E victory.The BMW driver, 25, started on pole for the first time and led from the start all the way to the chequered flag as he controlled the race.
    Brit Jake Dennis coasted home to clinch his first FE victory
    Three-time Le Mans 24hrs winner Andre Lotterer finished second for Porsche ahead of British driver Alex Lynn in third.
    Dennis said: “I am over the moon, I really didn’t think it was going to work out.
    “We led every single lap and everyone said that wasn’t the best strategy.
    “It’s just incredible, we’ve pulled off an an amazing achievement., to get my first pole and my first win.”

    Norman Nato crossed the line in second but was knocked off the podium after being handed a five-second time penalty for causing a collision.
    Lynn was in contention to win the race in second place but was bumped into the gravel by Nato, which knocked Lynn down to fifth midway through the race.
    It was bittersweet for Lynn who was delighted to be on the podium, but he was frustrated to have his chances of a victory taken away from him.
    He said: “He ruined my chances of fighting for a win today but obviously there’s the bigger picture.
    “I have to thank my team for the podium and the car was fantastic today.”
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    Half the Formula E grid fail to finish in Valencia as drivers run out of energy on final lap

    FORMULA E’s first of two races in Valencia ended in utter chaos as only 12 of 24 drivers finished the race.Mercedes’ title-leader Nyck de Vries took the victory as his rivals misjudged the amount of battery power required to finish the race.
    Nyck De Vries took the lead to win on the final lap
    Defending champion Antonio Felix Da Costa led the entirety of the race but he wilted away on the final lap and limped home in seventh.
    Da Costa was one of many drivers who had misjudged the energy required as others failed to finish the race.
    In FE, cars must finish the race with at least 0.1 per cent of energy.
    This left Nico Muller in second place, who had been in the gravel twice and also undergone a drive-through penalty.
    Mercedes’ former F1 star Stoffel Vandoorne took third after starting from the back of the grid after having pole position taken away from him after a technical infringement.
    Teams across the paddock were left bemused after a whole host of drivers failed to finish the race.
    Mercedes have now taken a grip of the drivers’ championship as De Vries leads his teammate Vandoorne by nine points at the top of the standings.
    Mercedes duo Stoffel Vandoorne (left) and Nyck de Vries (right) lead the championship
    Race-winner De Vries said: “Honestly I am happier than my win in Riyadh.
    “It came a bit unexpected, after a difficult weekend in Rome it was time to get back and the team executed the plan perfectly.
    “I was surprised to see my mate Vandoorne next to me on the podium!”
    The second race of the double header in Valencia is on Sunday at 1pm.
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    Only half the field finished the Valencia ePrix

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    Formula E: Mercedes’ ex-F1 star Stoffel Vandoorne screams ‘redemption’ as he wins second FE race in Rome

    MERCEDES’ Stoffel Vandoorne screamed “redemption” as he won the second Formula E race of the weekend in Rome.Ex-McLaren F1 star Vandoorne had first place taken away from him on Saturday when he was taken out by three-time 24 hours of Le Mans champion Andre Lotterer.
    Stoffel Vandoorne was full off relief on the podium
    But today he climbed from fourth on the grid to put himself in title contention.
    Vandoorne said: “Redemption tasted good today to take home victory.
    “It feels like we needed this yesterday, especially after the pole position and speed we showed.
    “But yeah, we kept believing, I was confident in the car again today and made the moves when it counted and the team executed the perfect strategy.”
    Brit Alexander Sims finished in second place as ex-F1 driver Pascal Wehrlein claimed the final step on the podium after Norman Nato received a penalty.
    This is Mercedes’ second victory of the season after just four races, having won in Rome and Saudi Arabia.

    Brit Sam Bird was taken out on the final lap as he collided with Mercedes’ Nyck de Vries.
    The three championship leaders at the start of the race Bird, De Vries and Robin Frijns failed to score points.
    Meaning Vandoorne is now in title contention as he trails leader Bird by ten points.
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    Formula E: Jean-Eric Vergne wins chaotic race in Rome as Brit Sam Bird strengthens lead in championship

    TWO-TIME Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne won the first of two races in Rome.The chaotic street race saw Audi’s Lucas Di Grassi lose the lead due to a power failure which led to the two Mercedes also crashing.
    Jean-Eric Vergne won his first race of the season
    As Di Grassi slowed, Mercedes’ Stoffel Vandoorne took evasive action but spun off and collided with his teammate Nyck de Vries.
    While Brit Sam pulled off sensational overtakes throughout the race as he fought from 11th on the grid to finish second, to strengthen his lead at the top of the championship to nine points.
    Vergne was able to cruise to victory behind the safety car as the stewards cleared up a handful of stricken cars.
    Vergne said: “It was a very difficult race with the conditions. There was a lot of rain and it was very slippy.
    “I almost hit the wall on more than one occasion but I was able to survive and I am very happy with the win.”
    Vergne’s car had to be rebuilt following practice after Oliver Turvey came charging into the back of him while he was stationary, preparing to do a practice start.
    Eight cars failed to finish the ePrix in Rome
    This was Jaguar’s first ever double podium finish as Bird finished second and his teammate Mitch Evans climbed from 12th to finish third.
    The two Jaguar drivers wore black armbands in in tribute to Prince Philip.
    Bird said: “That’s our first ever double podium as a team, so massive congrats to the guys who are here and back at the factory.
    “It’s been working really between me and Mitch on and off the circuit which is great and we’re working hard to push the team forwards.”
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    Formula E announce Mini as new safety car and add two double headers to the calendar

    FORMULA E have made this season’s Rome and Valencia E-Prix both double headers in a recent update to their calendar.And as the season ramps up, FE have also announced an electric Mini as their new safety car.
    The electric Mini Pacesetter becomes Formula E’s new safety car
    The car will be seen at the next race in Rome
    The little dazzling battery-powered car will be flying around streets circuits.
    The Mini will share duties with the BMW i8 Roadster which was revealed by Brooklyn Beckham in Mexico last year.
    The new safety car will appear at the next two races in Rome.
    The FE calendar has always been subject to change due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. 
    But to beef up the schedule both the Rome E-Prix and the Valencia E-Prix will be changed to double header events next month.
    This is how the season opener in Saudi Arabia kickstarted the current campaign, with two races in the space of two days. 
    Brit Sam Bird won the last race in Suadi Arabia driving for Jaguar

    The streets of Rome will host the third and fourth race of the season on the 10th-11th April. 
    The first of the two races will be televised on BBC Two at 2.45pm.
    While Valencia will host their first ever FE race on 24th April.
     A spokesperson for Formula E said: “We will continue to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and we are in constant communication with the community of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters and host cities.”
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    British Formula E drivers caught up in missile attack during Saudi Arabia GP

    BRIT motor racing teams were caught up in a terrifying missile attack in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
    Terrorists launched a rocket at the capital Riyadh where the multi-million-pound Formula E electric racing championship was taking place.

    A rocket was launched at the capital Riyadh where the Formula E electric racing championship was taking placeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Top Brit Formula E driver Sam Bird was at the eventCredit: Rex Features

    Seven Brit drivers, including winner Sam Bird, were at the awards ceremony when the Houthi rebel device was blasted from the sky by a US patriot interceptor.
    Six British-based teams including Williams, Jaguar, Mahindra Racing, Mercedes EQ, Envision Virgin and NIO 333 were there to take part.
    The country’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was among wealthy VIPs attending the futuristic racing event at the Diriyah circuit.

    No injuries were reported but flights were diverted.

    The Saudi military coalition has been fighting the Houthis in nearby Yemen for six years.
    The new motorsport championship Formula E is run in the same style as Formula 1 but with totally electric race cars and is said to be the future of the sport.

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