{"id":4108,"date":"2018-04-15T22:54:39","date_gmt":"2018-04-16T02:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=4108"},"modified":"2018-04-15T22:54:39","modified_gmt":"2018-04-16T02:54:39","slug":"formula-e-sam-bird-takes-win-in-inaugural-rome-e-prix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2018\/04\/15\/formula-e-sam-bird-takes-win-in-inaugural-rome-e-prix\/","title":{"rendered":"Formula E – Sam Bird Takes Win in Inaugural Rome E-Prix"},"content":{"rendered":"

The ABB FIA Formula E<\/strong> Championship held the first event on the streets of Rome on April 14, 2018. The impressive crowd witnessed DS Virgin Racing\u2019s<\/a> Sam Bird<\/strong> being crowned the winner of the\u00a0inaugural 2018 Rome E-Prix<\/strong><\/a>. Lucas di Grassi<\/strong> and Andre Lotterer<\/strong> joined Bird on the podium. A chaotic race saw Mahindra Racing\u2019s Felix Rosenqvist<\/strong> leading for the majority of the race, until a rear suspension problem forced him to retire on lap 23.<\/p>\n

Rome E-Prix 2018 Review<\/h1>\n

Rosenqvist was on pole ahead of Bird and Mitch Evans. This was the Starting Grid<\/strong> for the race after qualification:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pos<\/th>\nDriver<\/th>\nTeam<\/th>\nCar<\/th>\nTime<\/th>\nGap<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>\nFelix Rosenqvist<\/td>\nMahindra<\/td>\nMahindra<\/td>\n1m36.311s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nSam Bird<\/td>\nVirgin<\/td>\nDS Virgin<\/td>\n1m36.987s<\/td>\n0.676s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nMitch Evans<\/td>\nJaguar<\/td>\nJaguar<\/td>\n1m37.199s<\/td>\n0.888s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nAndre Lotterer<\/td>\nTecheetah<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n1m37.235s<\/td>\n0.924s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nSebastien Buemi<\/td>\ne.dams<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n1m37.817s<\/td>\n1.506s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nLucas di Grassi<\/td>\nAudi<\/td>\nAudi<\/td>\n1m36.973s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nOliver Turvey<\/td>\nNIO<\/td>\nNextEV NIO<\/td>\n1m37.045s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nJean-Eric Vergne<\/td>\nTecheetah<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n1m37.055s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nDaniel Abt<\/td>\nAudi<\/td>\nAudi<\/td>\n1m37.117s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nNick Heidfeld<\/td>\nMahindra<\/td>\nMahindra<\/td>\n1m37.365s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nAlex Lynn<\/td>\nVirgin<\/td>\nDS Virgin<\/td>\n1m37.546s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nTom Blomqvist<\/td>\nAndretti<\/td>\nAndretti<\/td>\n1m37.561s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nNelson Piquet Jr.<\/td>\nJaguar<\/td>\nJaguar<\/td>\n1m38.066s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nMaro Engel<\/td>\nVenturi<\/td>\nVenturi<\/td>\n1m38.212s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nNicolas Prost<\/td>\ne.dams<\/td>\nRenault<\/td>\n1m38.410s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nEdoardo Mortara<\/td>\nVenturi<\/td>\nVenturi<\/td>\n1m47.802s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17<\/td>\nLuca Filippi<\/td>\nNIO<\/td>\nNextEV NIO<\/td>\n2m09.829s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18<\/td>\nJerome d’Ambrosio<\/td>\nDragon<\/td>\nPenske<\/td>\n1m42.003s<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19<\/td>\nJose Maria Lopez<\/td>\nDragon<\/td>\nPenske<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20<\/td>\nAntonio Felix da Costa<\/td>\nAndretti<\/td>\nAndretti<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sam Bird Wins After Rosenqvist Retires<\/h2>\n

The race started in warm and sunny conditions at the Circuito Cittadino dell\u2019EUR<\/strong><\/a>. The cars went around the circuit for 33 laps, traveling a total distance of 93.72 km (58.23 miles). Although short, the race was full of tight driver battles and action from beginning to end.<\/p>\n

The Start<\/h3>\n

Rosenqvist didn\u2019t have the best start off the line at lights out. However, he was still able to maintain P1 over Bird into turn 1. Bird also had a strong start from P2 on the grid, but just couldn\u2019t pull off an overtake. Meanwhile, DS Virgin Racing\u2019s Alex Lynn<\/strong> crashed into Techeetah and Formula E Driver\u2019s Championship leader Jean Eric-Vergne<\/strong> on lap 3. Vergne suffered minor damage while Lynn broke his front wing and had to pit to change it.<\/p>\n

Pit Stops<\/h3>\n

On lap 16, the pit window opened as Antonio Felix da Costa<\/strong> pitted early for MS&AD Andretti Formula E due to poor energy conservation. The leaders quickly followed and Rosenqvist extended his lead over Bird after their car swap.<\/p>\n

Full Course Caution<\/h3>\n

A multi-car pileup involving several drivers on the in-lap caused a full course yellow over the circuit. Jose Maria Lopez of Dragon<\/strong> Formula E charged to the inside of Oliver Turvey of NIO Formula E on turn 16 that caused Turvey to hit into the left rear of Nick Heidfeld of Mahindra Racing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While they were stuck together, Turvey\u2019s teammate and hometown hero Luca Filippi and Venturi Formula E rookie Edoardo Mortara collected them after he attempted to avoid an incident. This brought out a full course caution on track while Lopez skated by without even collecting any damage.<\/p>\n

Tragedy for Felix Rosenqvist<\/h3>\n

On lap 19, the green flag was waved and they began racing once again. Rosenqvist attacking every corner aggressively and going up and down with the natural flow of the circuit brilliantly. Then on lap 24, Rosenqvist went over a kerb and broke his rear suspension, handing Bird first position. Di Grassi held P2, while Mitch Evans of Panasonic Jaguar Racing<\/strong> was in P3.<\/p>\n

Battle Until the End<\/h3>\n

Bird may have inherited first position, but he didn\u2019t take the win without sweating a little. Di Grassi and Evans were determined to close the gap and Di Grassi was able to get within a second of Bird.<\/p>\n

Evans couldn\u2019t maintain his pace though, and almost used up all his energy in his charge for Bird. This ultimately caused him to plummet down to P9 and his poor energy conservation cost him a podium. Andre Lotterer, of Techeetah inherited P3 from Evans and rounded out the podium for his second podium of his rookie year.<\/p>\n

Drivers In The Points<\/h2>\n

Daniel Abt<\/strong> of Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler finished in P4, beating Formula E championship leader Vergne who finished P5. The Frenchman got a poor start from P8 and his mishap with Lynn didn\u2019t help his pace in his first stint. Sebastien Buemi<\/strong> of Renault e.dams<\/strong> finished P6, he qualified well but just didn\u2019t have the pace for the race.<\/p>\n

Jerome D\u2019Ambrosio<\/strong> brought his Dragon Racing car into P7. He benefitted from a great strategy that helped him finish inside the top ten from P16. Maro Engel and Edoardo Mortara of Venturi Formula E finished in P8 and P10 respectively. They gave Venturi Racing<\/strong> a great double points finish after a disappointing qualifying. Evans separated the two Venturi Formula E drivers in P9, after he almost ran out of energy.<\/p>\n

Vergne Maintains Lead<\/h2>\n

With the Rosenqvist retirement, Bird overtakes the Swede in the Formula E Drivers’ Standings. After a P5 finish in Rome, Vergne maintains his lead in the championship with five races to go. The lead is only18 points and Bird has entered his name into contention in the title race.<\/p>\n

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#FormulaE<\/a> – Find out the best pics of the @FIAFormulaE<\/a> Rome E-Prix \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\u27a1https:\/\/t.co\/JOreQxHULB<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/1njgmac4Hq<\/a><\/p>\n

— FIA (@fia) April 14, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n