'Very difficult for the nerves' - Edoardo Mortara takes victory in second race of Formula E season in Diriyah E-Prix
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ByEurosport
Updated 29/01/2022 at 19:38 GMT
“What a day – especially after the mistake that I made in qualification yesterday – I am very glad to bring this win for the team”, Mortara said. “A one-three finish is amazing. It was a very strategic race, very difficult for the nerves because I didn’t have a lot of energy but neither did my colleagues around me. "
Mortara secures win in race two of Formula E season
ROKiT Venturi Racing’s Edoardo Mortara had to use all his experience to hold on to victory in a competitive race during Round Two of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
The 35-year-old veteran, in his fifth season in Formula E, won the second of a night-race double-header at the 2022 Diriyah E-Prix to go top of the Drivers’ Standings.
The result means the first two races of the season have been won by last year's top two, following Mercedes-EQ's Nyck de Vries' victory on Saturday. The Dutchman sits second in the standings four points behind Mortara.
It also means Venturi sit top of the Teams’ Standings after the Swiss’ team-mate Lucas di Grassi finished third to make it a dream day for the Monegasque team.
But Mortara admitted after the race that he had to keep his cool amidst the attacks from his rivals in a high intensity, gripping race at the Riyadh Street Circuit.
“What a day – especially after the mistake that I made in qualification yesterday – I am very glad to bring this win for the team”, he said. “A one-three finish is amazing.
“It was a very strategic race, very difficult for the nerves because I didn’t have a lot of energy but neither did my colleagues around me. They were playing strategy, trying to attack me and make me consume, so I tried to keep my head cool, and it worked.”
It was a storming race under the Riyadh lights with Robin Frijns (Envision Racing) tussling with Mortara for the lead, before eventually finishing second to round-off the top-three alongside the two Venturi men.
Through the second round of ATTACK MODE activations, Di Grassi was able to position himself for a move on polesitter and then-leader De Vries (Mercedes-EQ) on Lap 16. The Brazilian accelerated around the outside of De Vries at turn 18 and held the position, with Mortara also able make it through.
The Swiss then swept by his team-mate for the lead a lap later, and there he stayed, fending off Frijns until the race came to an end behind the Safety Car after Alexander Sims (Mahindra Racing) found the wall.
Andre Lotterer (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) made amends after slipping down the order during Race 1 as the German battled to fourth.
Lotterer jousted with Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) and Jean-Eric Vergne (DS TECHEETAH) throughout and got the better of the pair, who followed the Porsche driver home.
Stoffel Vandoorne (Mercedes-EQ) stealthily manoeuvred from 12th spot into seventh at the flag to claim valuable points from a challenging situation.
Oliver Rowland (Mahindra Racing) fired off the line and back from a pre-race three-position grid penalty to finish eighth, with Pascal Wehrlein (TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team) in ninth.
Round 1 winner and reigning champion, De Vries was shuffled down the pack after the Venturis made their way through and following a pass by Vergne which resulted in some close contact. The Dutchman salvaged a point and 10th.
After Round 2 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, Mortara sits four points ahead of De Vries at the top of the Drivers’ standings, while ROKiT Venturi Racing heads the Teams’ running by 11 points over Mercedes-EQ with Avalanche Andretti third.
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