12.5.2019. No racing fortune, Daniel Abt and Lucas di Grassi at the E-Prix in Monaco. Both Audi drivers remained, despite the strong performance in the race without points.
On the shortest track in the formula E season in the Qualifying session, played the role of a preliminary decision at the end. Again the leading riders in the overall standings were at a disadvantage, since you had to go First on the track. None of the first group made it into the “Super Pole” of the best six.
Lucas di Grassi had to make do with 13th place on the grid, Daniel Abt with a start space 16 and the on a track on which Overtaking is extremely difficult.
Nevertheless, both pilots of the team of Audi Sport worked ABT Schaeffler in the race to the front. Lucas di Grassi overtook several competitors, and was already on Position eight, when he was pressed by BMW driver Alexander Sims into the barriers and had to give up. “In the Stewards he said after the race that he has not seen me,” said di Grassi. “If he leaves the brakes on his line, he needs to make sure that there is no one there. The failure is extremely annoying, because it is important points in the title would have been a fight.“
Daniel Abt showed a combative performance, which put him in eighth place to the front. Because of a collision with Oliver Turvey (Nio) which is transferred back to the German, but later in 15th place. “In Monaco so many seats up, is almost impossible,” said Daniel Abt. “Therefore, the time penalty for me and the Team is particularly disappointing. At the Start of the Full-Course Yellow Phase, a car braked in front of me so hard that I was simply powerless.“
“We knew it would be from these start positions for us on such a tight track is an extremely tough race,” said team boss Allan McNish. “That Lucas is so excreted, is bitter. He would be quite safe in the Top Six. Daniel’s eighth place would have been at least a small consolation. That today, we are very disappointed, is out of the question.“
Without points, the Audi customer team Envision Virgin Racing stayed in Monaco. Robin Frijns and Sam Bird both fur due to collisions in the final phase of the points positions.
The formula E in 14 days in Berlin. At the home race the Audi Sport Team clinched ABT Schaeffler last year with a double win, Pole Position and the fastest lap of the race the maximum score.
Audi e-tron FE05 #66 (Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler), Daniel Abt (photo: Audi Communications Motorsport / Michael Kunkel)
