The Briton Sam Bird (Jaguar) won in front of the Dutch Robin Frijns (Virgin Racing) and the French Jean-Eric Vergne (DS Techeetah) the second ePrix of Diriyah (Saudi Arabia), 2nd round of the Formula E season, on Saturday.
In the fight with the poleman Frijns the first part of the race, Bird (passed from Virgin Racing to Jaguar during the winter) finally got the better of his former team-mate and subsequently resisted his pursuers, before the race ended. ends with a few minutes ahead of a red flag.
After a bitter battle with his teammate Vergne, reminiscent of last season, the Portuguese Antonio Félix da Costa finished 4th.
"READ ALSO - Formula 1: the notes of the best drivers (and dunces) of the season
Three-time defending champion among the drivers (with Vergne twice, then Da Costa) and double champion among the constructors, the Sino-French team DS Techeetah has therefore recovered after a failed first round the day before, already in Diriyah ( Da Costa 11th and Vergne 15th).
On the contrary, after the inaugural victory on Friday of its Dutch driver Nyck de Vries, the day could not be more different for Mercedes (De Vries 14th, Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne 18th).
The two drivers of the German team and those of his client Venturi indeed started at the back of the grid after being deprived of qualifying, the time to identify and correct the brake problem that sent the Swiss Edoardo Mortara into the barriers. (Venturi) at the end of free practice 3.
These two races were the first to be contested at night in the history of the category.
"The idea was to do something entertaining" and "to deploy a new technology" on the circuits, LED lighting, reputed to be less energy intensive, according to the explanations of Jerry Inzerillo, in charge of development, particularly tourism, of Diriyah.
The next round, the third of the season, is scheduled for Rome on April 10.
Ranking of the 2nd ePrix of Diriyah (Saudi Arabia), 2nd round of the season:
1. Sam Bird (GBR / Jaguar) 29 laps
2. Robin Frijns (NED / Virgin Racing) at 2.194
3. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA / DS Techeetah) 4.846
4. Antonio Félix da Costa (POR / DS Techeetah) 6.900
5. Nick Cassidy (NZL / Virgin Racing) 9.079
Ranking of the drivers' world championship after 2 rounds:
1. Nyck de Vries (NED / Mercedes) 29 pts
2. Sam Bird (GBR / Jaguar) 25
3. Robin Frijns (NED / Virgin Racing) 22
4. Edoardo Mortara (SUI / Venturi) 18
5. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA / DS Techeetah) 15
Read also
The DS constructor thoroughly into Formula E