After Saturday’s pole position, Jean-Éric Vergne woke up with a strong desire to repeat the feat. Even for Stoffel Vandoorne, who the day before had qualified for the quarter-finals and who had had to deal with a race full of contacts in the middle of the group, the goal was to show off.
In both cases, the objective was achieved and Stoffel Vandoorne came close to taking pole position (one thousandth of a second behind Jake Hugues’ McLaren). The Belgian driver then started from second position, while Jean-Éric Vergne, who missed the quarter-finals by 13 thousandths, lined up ninth on the grid.
Shortly before, the two DS -E-TENSE FE23s had positioned themselves strategically and with greater caution in the top 10 during the third free practice session, to evaluate the possible evolution of the track amidst the heat and high humidity.
A different energy strategy
Sunday’s race was scheduled for 28 laps, one less than the previous day. Stoffel Vandoorne started perfectly and took the lead, paradoxically a tricky position as he had to save as much energy as possible for the second half of the race.
Having learned the lessons of the previous day, the various protagonists seemed less timid in starting battles. On the other hand, as on Saturday, there were numerous contacts. Very soon, several riders activated Attack Mode to have a clearer idea of the residual energy, in view of the strategy to be adopted at the end of the race. In this little game, Stoffel Vandoorne remained in the top 3, while Jean-Éric Vergne fluctuated between fifth and tenth place.
In general, the race was more dynamic than the previous day and the group distanced itself further. It was further demonstration of how technically refined Formula E is. Vergne was undeniably in a waiting phase, while Vandoorne tried to stay in touch with the leaders without consuming too much. His position would pay off a few laps later.
Stoffel Vandoorne (DS Penske)
Photo by: DPPI
When the percentages remaining in the batteries of each electric car were displayed on the screen, we saw that Jean-Éric Vergne had 1.2 kWh more battery than the race leader. With 12 laps remaining until the checkered flag, Vandoorne was still in the top 5 and continuing to hold on. The laps spent in the lead cost him dearly in terms of energy, but staying with the group allowed him to recover some of his potential for the finale.
The disadvantage is that when you are in the middle of the group, you are often the victim of small involuntary attacks… Vergne was about to pay the price and see his front wing in pieces. Luckily, he didn’t need to pit.
With ten laps to go, wisdom prevailed. The two DS E-TENSE FE23s remained waiting in sixth and seventh position. Positions that they would have maintained behind Porsche, McLaren and Jaguar.
It is therefore another double top ten in the points for DS Penske, who realizes the initial ambitions of the Franco-American team in this extremely competitive championship. A result that keeps both riders in the overall top 10. Formula E now stops for five weeks, before another double-header in Portland, in the north-west of the United States.
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