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FE - 2015 London ePrix - Preview

23.06.15
After 288 days, 315 laps, nine thrilling races and seven different winners, this weekend sees the climatic end to the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship, where the world’s first all-electric champion will be crowned. London’s Battersea Park will play host to the final two rounds (10 & 11) of the series on June 27 and 28 – marking the return of top level motorsport to the British capital for more than 40 years – where six drivers remain in the running to lift the title crown.
FIA FE London

Nelson Piquet Jr currently leads the driver standings and with a 17-point advantage over fellow countryman Lucas di Grassi, following his dominant win last time out in Moscow. Along with Di Grassi, Sebastien Buemi, Nico Prost, Jerome D’Ambrosio and Sam Bird could all still mathematically walk away with the title with 60 points up for grabs. Meanwhile, e.dams-Renault look favourites to secure the teams’ title in front of an expected 60,000 crowd with many millions more watching at home.

This weekend also sees a number of new drivers with Sakon Yamamoto replacing Antonio Felix da Costa at Amlin Aguri, Simona de Silvestro driving alongside Jean-Eric Vergne at Andretti, Briton Oliver Turvey partnering Piquet at NEXTEV TCR, 2013  GP2 champion Fabio Leimer in for Jaime Alguersuari at Virgin Racing and a new driver still to be announced at Trulli.

Season so far (after nine races):

In the season-opener  in Beijing it was Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt) who snatched victory after a dramatic last lap, last corner crash between long-time race-leader Nicolas Prost (e.dams-Renault) and Venturi’s Nick Heidfeld. For round two in Putrajaya, Malaysia, it was Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird who took the chequered flag after  an impressive showing and clever use of battery management. Meanwhile, for the picturesque round three in Uruguay’s Punta del Este, it was Sebastien Buemi (e.dams-Renault) who recorded his maiden Formula E win after another action-packed race. The Buenos Aires ePrix proved to be another first, this time for Amlin Aguri’s Antonio Felix da Costa who secured his maiden win during a spectacular race. In Miami, it was Prost who secured his first win, and the team’s second, joined on the podium by debutant Scott Speed (Andretti) and Daniel Abt (ABT). In Long Beach, it was the turn of Piquet to make his mark finishing head of Andretti’s Jean-Eric Vergne and Di Grassi.

For Monaco, it was Buemi who became the first driver to win two Formula E races and the first from pole. In Berlin, it was Jerome D’Ambrosio who inherited the win after initial victor Di  Grassi was excluded due to technical infringements. Sebastien Buemi ended second with Loic Duval earning his first top three finish for Dragon with third. Last time out in Moscow it was again Piquet who stood on the top step of the podium after getting the jump on Vergne off the start, leading home Di Grassi and Buemi before Heidfeld inherited third place following a time penalty for Buemi.

Drivers Standings (After Rd 9):

1. Nelson Piquet Jr128pts
2. Lucas di Grassi111pts
3. Sebastien Buemi105pts
4. Nicolas Prost 82pts
5. Jerome D’Ambrosio77pts
6. Sam Bird68pts
7. Jean-Eric Vergne55pts
8. Antonio Felix da Costa51pts
9. Daniel Abt32pts
10. Nick Heidfeld31pts

Teams Standings (After Rd 9):

1. e.dams-Renault Formula E187pts
2. Audi Sport ABT Formula E143pts
3. NEXTEV TCR Formula E132pts
4. Dragon Racing Formula E116pts
5. Andretti Formula E104pts
6. Virgin Racing Formula E98pts
7. Amlin Aguri Formula E62pts
8. Venturi Formula E49pts
9. Mahindra Racing Formula E46pts
10. Trulli Formula E17pts

Visa London ePrix - Circuit layout

Length: 2.92km (1.8m) // Turns:  17 // Laps: 29

FIA FE London

Visa London ePrix timetable  – June 27 & 28:

08:15 – 09:00   Non qualifying 1

10:30 – 11:00   Non qualifying 2

12:00 – 12:10   Qualifying group 1

12:15 – 12:25   Qualifying group 2

12:30 – 12:40   Qualifying group 3

12:45 – 12:55   Qualifying group 4

16:04                   Race (29 laps)

Teams & Drivers racing in the Visa London ePrix (Rds 10 & 11):

Amlin Aguri: Sakon Yamamoto & Salvador Duran
Andretti: Simona de Silvestro & Jean-Eric Vergne
Audi Sport ABT:Lucas di Grassi & Daniel Abt
Dragon Racing: Loic Duval & Jerome d’Ambrosio
e.dams-Renault:Nicolas Prost & Sebastien Buemi 
Mahindra Racing: Karun Chandhok & Bruno Senna
NEXTEV TCR:Nelson Piquet Jr & Oliver Turvey 
Trulli: Jarno Trulli & TBA
Venturi: Nick Heidfeld & Stephane Sarrazin
Virgin Racing:Fabio Leimer & Sam Bird

Media Accreditation

Is  located  inside  Battersea Park, south  London  at the Chelsea  car park, Chelsea  Gate, Battersea  Park, 374 Queenstown Road, London, SW8 4NU

Accreditation opening hours:

Thursday 25 June            09:00 – 18:00

Friday 26 June                 09:00 – 18:00

Saturday 27 June             07:00 – 15:00

Sunday 28 June               07:00 – 12:00

Media Centre opening hours:

Thursday 25 June:            Closed

Friday 26 June:                 09:00 – 20:00

Saturday 27 June:            07:00 – 22:00

Sunday 28 June:              07:00 – 22:00

Overview:

Formula E is the FIA’s new single-seater championship and the world's first fully-electric racing series. The inaugural season began on September 2014  and runs until June 2015, competing in 10 of the world's leading cities (11 races) including Berlin, Moscow and London. For the inaugural season, 10  teams, each with two drivers, go head-to-head creating a unique and exciting racing series designed to appeal to a new generation of motorsport fans, whilst also helping to promote sustainability.

Car – Spark-Renault SRT_01E

For season  one, all drivers use  an identical fully-electric single-seater designed and built by Spark Racing technology together with a consortium of the leading manufacturers including McLaren, Williams, Renault, Michelin and Dallara.

Practice

Drivers have two non-qualifying practice sessions. They will have up to two cars available to them giving them the option to change cars should they wish. Full power (200kw / 270bhp) will be available throughout.

Qualifying

The qualifying session is a straight fight for the fastest laptime and determines the order for the day's race. The session will last 55 minutes (40 minutes track) and see drivers divided into four groups of five cars, with each group having 10 minutes to set their best time. Full power (200kw / 270bhp) will be available throughout with drivers only able to use one car.

ePrix

Races will begin by standing start (no formation lap) and last for approximately 45 minutes with drivers making one mandatory pit stop in order to change cars. Power will be restricted to 'race mode' (150kw / 202.5bhp) apart from those drivers with FanBoost.

FanBoost

Fans can give their favourite driver an extra speed boost by voting for them prior to the race. The three drivers with the most votes (received online and through social media) will each receive a five-second ‘power boost’ per car per driver, temporarily increasing their car’s power from 150kw to 180kw. It can be used at any time apart from the first lap.

Points

Drives will score points using the standard FIA system of: 1st = 25pts, 2nd = 18pts, 3 = 15pts, 4th = 12pts, 5th= 10pts, 6th = 8pts, 7th = 6pts, 8th = 4pts, 9th = 2pts and 10th = 1pt.
Three points will be awarded to the driver securing pole position, whilst the driver setting the fastest lap receives two points. A driver’s total score is made up of all their results less one (i.e. they have to discount their worst result).

Further information:

Main: www.fiaformulae.com

Media (high-re images & press pack): http://media.fiaformulae.com (log-in required)

Results & live timing: http://fiaformulae.alkamelsystems.com/