ABT Sportsline Press Release
Who will be the first Champion in FIA Formula E history? This question will be answered this coming weekend after two races (27 and 28 June) in London. In the role hunter: Lucas di Grassi from the ABT Sportsline team, who comes to the showdown 17 points behind his Brazilian countryman Nelson Piquet Jr.
Asia, South America, North America, Western Europe, Moscow – and now London: on its journey around the world, Formula E reaches the goal of its premiere season this weekend and in doing so offers motorsport fans a showdown to their liking: the recipient of the championship crown will only be revealed in the final two races of the year that are held on Saturday and Sunday in Battersea Park.
Only 23 points separate the hottest contenders Nelson Piquet Jr., Lucas di Grassi and Sébastien Buemi. Sixty points, including extra points for the best grid positions and fastest race laps, are still up for grabs. Reason: Formula E stages two races on a weekend for the first time this season. The fans experience two identical days featuring practice, qualifying and races in the near sold-out Battersea Park. Only Piquet Jr. can wrap up the title on Saturday.
ABT Sportsline is full of fighting talk before the showdown. “One thing is clear: we will fight for the title all the way to the final lap of the last race,” says Lucas di Grassi. The Brazilian mounted the podium six times in the previous nine races – more often than any other driver in the field. In Argentina, a technical defect prevented a top result. At his team’s home race in Berlin, he was subsequently stripped of his commanding race victory due to small changes on the front wing. Di Grassi: “We accepted the decision for the good of the sport and answered on the track. We will also do this in London and make up the points lost this season.”
Daniel Abt supports Lucas di Grassi in his bid for the title. The German has regularly been one of the fastest drivers in the field and has big plans for the finale. “We aim to put up another really hard fight in London and put the competition under pressure. The best way to help Lucas is to take points from the other drivers,” says Abt. The youngest driver on the grid comes to the finale with plenty of momentum: on his Le Mans debut, he celebrated a class victory and enjoyed the unique atmosphere on the podium.
“The finale in London closes the loop for our team, which started more than one year ago with the first tests at Donington,” says Team Boss Hans-Jürgen Abt. “Now we want to go one better and win the title with Lucas. Although he’s quite a few points behind, we believe in ourselves and our strengths. We are the outsiders in the title battle, but we want to use our chance.”
Photo credit: Auto Racing Live by Michelin
