Formula E: Three-way title fight heads to penultimate venue in Moscow
Nelson Piquet Jr. has a two-point lead over Sebastien Buemi and a 10-point lead over Lucas di Grassi heading into the third-to-last race of the inaugural FIA Formula E season.
After this weekend, there will be just two rounds remaining – both on the streets of London, England, which will be run as a double-header from June 27-28.
The lowest points-scoring finish of each driver will be dropped at the end of the season but, with all three top contenders in the points having failed to finish at least one race each this year, it should not impact those at the top of the final standings.
Lucas di Grassi led the points heading into the last race in Berlin, and won the race in his Audi Sport ABT car to extend his points lead. However, he was later found to have had a modified front wing and thus was excluded from the results, pushing him back to third in the points.
The Brazilian driver tweeted this out after the race:
Di Grassi added during an interview with the FIA Formula E official website that “we are working really hard to make the car as best as possible. Now the championship battle is much more intense, we have to take more risks, we have to improve the car better. But it’s still completely open – there are still 90 points available and the difference between the top three is only 10 points, so it’s really small.”
Sitting second in the points, Sebastien Buemi is the only two-time winner so far in Formula E, driving for the e.dams Renault team. Buemi, di Grassi and Piquet are all currently in the mix for FanBoost too, and each will have a chance to score two extra points if they can get the fastest lap.
“Nelson is always good in the FanBoost and tends to get the fastest lap,” Buemi told the FIA Formula E website. “Obviously it’s easier to put a quick lap together with the extra power and get those two extra points for the championship.”
“I don’t think we need to change our usual approach,” admitted points leader Nelson Piquet Jr., racing for NEXTEV TCR (formerly China Racing). “Every race meeting we try to do our best and prepare in all areas. Each team and driver does the same but coming to the end of the season in the points lead means you don’t need to take as many risks, but we will continue to push hard.”
The Moscow ePrix will be shown on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
Click HERE for more Formula E news and features.
