Maximilian Gunther wins the third Berlin E-Prix, ahead of Robin Frijns and Jean-Eric Vergne.
Round eight of the ABB FIA Formula E 2019/20 championship took place on the traditional layout of the Berlin circuit. Gunther, in the BMW I Andretti, took the win, holding off a late challenge from Frijns, by 0.128 seconds.
Gunther lined up on the front row alongside pole sitter Vergne. He lost the position to Jerome D’Ambrosio at turn one, taking the place back again a lap later.
In the opening laps of the race Vergne pulled a considerable gap but Gunther had soon closed back up to the DS Techeetah.
It was with four minutes remaining that Gunther took the lead, passing Vergne low on energy. Frijns, with more energy remaining than the two leaders was able to close the gap and take second position from Vergne.
The safety car was deployed with 32 minutes still on the clock after a crash at turn nine involving a number of cars. Contact on James Calado from Sergio Sette Camara sent the Jaguar spinning. Sette Camara had been defending from Alexander Sims when the incident occurred. The Geox Dragon picked up sustainable damage as did Neel Jani in the Porsche, taking them both out of the race. Calado pitted for a puncture but the damage meant he later retired from the race.
At the restart Gunther put his first challenge on Vergne for the lead, and started the train of drivers taking their first attack modes.
With the field bunched up after the safety car period and with drivers using the attack mode there were many position changes, across the field.
The last lap of the race saw two battles going on simultaneously. Frijns was trying to find a way round the outside of leader Gunther. Whilst Antonio Felix Da Costa was looking to gain a position off his team mate.
Gunther held off the Envision Virgin driver, whilst Vergne completed the podium positions.
Championship leader Da Costa, who started eighth, finished in fourth ahead of Andre Lotterer. Oliver Rowland and D’Ambrosio finished sixth and seventh.
Lucas Di Grassi finished eighth after an incident with Massa before the safety car period. Mitch Evans and Sims completed the top ten, with Evans recording the fastest lap of the race.
Stoffel Vandoorne and Rene Rast were retirements from the race.
Da Costa leads the driver championship from Gunther by 68 points, with Di Grassi third.
Formula E returns tomorrow, Sunday 9th August, for round nine of the 2019/20 season.
Feature Image Credit: FIA Formula E
