Di Grassi high after hard-won title
Brazilian captures Formula E drivers’ championship at season-ending Montreal race
MONTREAL— Sunday’s final race in the 2017 Formula E championship for all-electric cars — held on a downtown street circuit and won by ex-F1 driver Jean-Eric Vergne while Lucas Di Grassi won the championship — was somewhat of an anticlimax after a Saturday and early Sunday of suspense and drama.
Expectations had been high for a to-the-wire showdown between Di Grassi and another former F1 driver, Sebastien Buemi, following a nailbiter of a first race Saturday that saw Di Grassi win and Buemi battle back to finish fourth after destroying his car in morning practice and having to start back in the pack.
The scenario then was that it was anybody’s championship.
But late Saturday night, after newspapers had gone to press and TV sports programs been recorded for replay overnight, organizers announced that Buemi had been disqualified because his rebuilt car had flunked post-race inspection: it was four kilograms underweight.
There was still optimism that there would be a title fight of one sort or another but Buemi qualified in the second half of the field Sunday morning while Di Grassi went off fifth. About the only hope for Buemi after that was for Di Grassi to fail to finish and Buemi make it through to the front, or near the front, but it was not to be.
“This is so good,” said an overwhelmed Di Grassi, in Victory Lane. “I’m losing my voice already,” said the driver who finished third in the first year of the championship and second last year.
“So many sacrifices; I drove two races his year with a broken leg, then last-minute surgery (on the leg) to be able to race in New York (two weeks ago) and everybody did a fantastic job here and I’m so happy. It’s a dream come true. I’m so happy for the team, for our partners and for myself.”
Renault won the team championship and the trophy was accepted by the team manager, four-time world F1champion Alain Prost. Among the dignitaries present Sunday was former prime minister Jean Chrétien and the celebrity crowd was led by model Kate Upton.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, who served notice three years ago that he wanted a Formula E race for his city to — as he put it — complement the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada that’s held in Montreal every June, was clearly delighted with the success of the weekend and the large crowds that turned out both days.
“I’m thrilled,” he told the Star in an interview. “I think we’re sending a message to the world that we’re an international city, the capital of car racing in North America. Montreal is a great gateway, it’s a great place to be.”
Coderre, who came under fire from all facets of the major media, from English-language newspapers to French-language television, for shutting off downtown streets and spending upwards of $30 million on infrastructure improvements to hold the race, added:
“Something is happening (with electrification of transportation) and cities clearly have a role to play. I went to Miami three years ago and said to Jean Todt (FIA chairperson) that Montreal is an international place, 50 years ago with the Expo, we don’t build walls here, we build bridges. Montreal is the Europe of the Americas and that’s why Formula E belongs here.”
Renault was the first manufacturer to join the 12-race series and has since been joined by Jaguar. Next year, Audi and BMW will have teams and in 2019 and 2020 MercedesBenz and Porsche will be on the grid.
The hot rumour in the garage area this weekend was that, with a race through the streets of Rome on next year’s schedule, Ferrari could be a surprise entrant.