Sebastien Buemi will start the Berlin EPrix from pole position alongside Stoffel Vandoorne.
However championship contender Andre Lotterer fell at the first hurdle.
Formula E has an adjusted format in Berlin, in order to accommodate the German football cup final, where unusually we saw practice take place on Friday and qualifying and the race much earlier on Saturday. Qualifying started first thing, with the first two groups going out before 9am on a track cleaned the previous night and not run on at all previously today.Group One: Robin Frijns, Lucas di Grassi, Jean-Eric Vergne, Antonio Felix da Costa, Andre Lotterer
Despite the alleged disadvantage of running in Group One on the gripless concrete in Tempelhof, Lucas di Grassi was able to put in a competitive time of 1’07.926 – within a few tenths of the best times from much warmer and later FP2 yesterday.
But the main upset of the first session befell Andre Lotterer. Waiting until the last second for the surface to improve, he was not sent out in time to start his hot lap before the chequered flag. With only an out-lap time of 1’12.568 he would be comfortably last on the grid.
He will gain a place from Robin Frijns, who faces a five-place grid penalty for a collision in Monaco.
Qualifying 1
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucas di Grassi | Audi | 1’07.926 |
| 2 | Antonio Felix da Costa | BMWi Andretti | 1’08.013 |
| 3 | Jean-Eric Vergne | DS Techeetah | 1’08.046 |
| 4 | Robin Frijns | Envision Virgin | 1’08.919 |
| 5 | Andre Lotterer | DS Techeetah | 1’12.568 |
Group Two: Sam Bird, Mitch Evans, Oliver Rowland, Jerome D’Ambrosio, Daniel Abt
Oliver Rowland, the only man to claim two pole positions this season, was the first driver in this group to go to full power – but was unable to get close to Di Grassi’s time on a 1’08.119.
Most drivers were unable to rival group one’s times but Jerome D’Ambrosio was able to put himself into Super Pole contention and last year’s race winner Daniel Abt became the second driver to dip below 1’08, slotting in behind teammate Di Grassi at the top of the times.
Qualifying 2
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Abt | Audi | 1’07.953 |
| 2 | Jerome D’Ambrosio | Mahindra | 1’08.065 |
| 3 | Oliver Rowland | Nissan e.Dams | 1’08.119 |
| 4 | Sam Bird | Envision Virgin | 1’08.182 |
| 5 | Mitch Evans | Panasonic Jaguar | 1’08.314 |
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Group Three: Stoffel Vandoorne, Felipe Massa, Sebastien Buemi, Alexander Sims, Edoardo Mortara, Pascal Wehrlein
Alexander Sims had performed well in the practice sessions yesterday, amidst a fairly torrid and accident-strewn season, and was able to go out first and immediately set a 1’07.728 – putting him in easily into provisional super pole and on top of the times.
Group three were considerably quicker than Group Two, however, with Buemi and Vandoorne putting in even faster times to see the three lead the results – and push current championship leader Jean-Eric Vergne out of Super Pole contention.
During the session, it was announced that Daniel Abt was under investigation for activating his high-power 250kW mode too early.
Qualifying 3
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stoffel Vandoorne | HWA AG | 1’07.619 |
| 2 | Sebastien Buemi | Nissan e.Dams | 1’07.625 |
| 3 | Alexander Sims | BMWi Andretti | 1’07.728 |
| 4 | Pascal Wehrlein | Mahindra | 1’08.086 |
| 5 | Edoardo Mortara | Venturi | 1’08.314 |
| 6 | Felipe Massa | Venturi | 1’08.348 |
Group Four: Alexander Lynn, Maximilian Guenther, Jose Maria Lopez, Tom Dillman, Oliver Turvey, Gary Paffett
Alexander Lynn and Maximilian Guenther looked to be on very strong laps – with Lynn, who replaced Nelson Piquet Jr mid-season, putting in a good enough time to make his first Super Pole appearance of the season.
Guenther was unable to make good on his pace, left in 15th after a late error but Gary Paffett put in the top time of the session, bringing both cars from rookie home team HWA AG into Super Pole.
Qualifying 4
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gary Paffett | HWA AG | 1’07.877 |
| 2 | Alexander Lynn | Panasonic Jaguar | 1’07.920 |
| 3 | Oliver Turvey | NIO | 1’08.203 |
| 4 | Maximilian Guenther | GEOX Dragon | 1’08.218 |
| 5 | Tom Dillman | NIO | 1’08.263 |
| 6 | Jose-Maria Lopez | GEOX Dragon | 1’08.720 |
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Super Pole: Lucas di Grassi, Alexander Sims, Sebastien Buemi, Stoffel Vandoorne, Alexander Lynn, Gary Paffett
As the slowest qualifier to Super Pole, Di Grassi was first out to put in a 1.07.719 which Alex Lynn and Gary Paffett were unable to improve on, although both close to the Audi’s time.
Alexander Sims, who faces a five-place grid penalty here, made a small error that saw him at the back of the Super Pole times.
Sebastien Buemi, whose last win in Formula E was here during Season 3, put in an extremely fast lap to take provisional pole by four tenths on a 1’07.295. Vandoorne was able to beat Di Grassi’s time for the second front row spot.
Buemi’s pole position is his second of the season, after his inherited pole in Santiago following Di Grassi’s disqualification.
Super Pole
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastien Buemi | Nissan e.Dams | 1’07.295 |
| 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | HWA AG | 1’07.693 |
| 3 | Lucas di Grassi | Audi | 1’07.719 |
| 4 | Gary Paffett | HWA AG | 1’07.783 |
| 5 | Alexander Lynn | Panasonic Jaguar | 1’07.849 |
| 6 | Alexander Sims | BWMi Andretti | 1’08.017 |
Provisional qualifying results
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastien Buemi | Nissan e.Dams | 1’07.295 |
| 2 | Stoffel Vandoorne | HWA AG | 1’07.693 |
| 3 | Lucas di Grassi | Audi | 1’07.719 |
| 4 | Gary Paffett | HWA AG | 1’07.783 |
| 5 | Alexander Lynn | Panasonic Jaguar | 1’07.849 |
| 6 | Alexander Sims | BWMi Andretti | 1’08.017 |
| 7 | Daniel Abt | Audi | 1’07.953 |
| 8 | Antonio Felix da Costa | BWMi Andretti | 1’08.013 |
| 9 | Jean-Eric Vergne | DS Techeetah | 1’08.046 |
| 10 | Jerome D’Ambrosio | Mahindra | 1’08.065 |
| 11 | Pascal Wehrlein | Mahindra | 1’08.086 |
| 12 | Oliver Rowland | Nissan e.Dams | 1’08.119 |
| 13 | Sam Bird | Envision Virgin | 1’08.182 |
| 14 | Oliver Turvey | NIO | 1’08.203 |
| 15 | Maximilian Guenther | GEOX Dragon | 1’08.218 |
| 16 | Edoardo Mortara | Venturi | 1’08.223 |
| 17 | Tom Dillman | NIO | 1’08.263 |
| 18 | Mitch Evans | Panasonic Jaguar | 1’08.314 |
| 19 | Felipe Massa | Venturi | 1’08.348 |
| 20 | Jose Maria Lopez | GEOX Dragon | 1’08.720 |
| 21 | Robin Frijns | Envision Virgin | 1’08.919 |
| 22 | Andre Lotterer | DS Techeetah | 1’12.568 |
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Formula E
- Wehrlein wins second Misano race after Rowland’s last lap heartache
- Da Costa disqualified from first Misano race, handing Rowland win
- Da Costa becomes sixth different winner in six rounds in first Misano race
- Aron and Eriksson to replace WEC-bound Buemi and Frijns at Envision in Berlin
- Guenther wins in Tokyo after Rowland gives up the lead
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Chaitanya
25th May 2019, 10:35
Absolutely dislike the qualifying format used for F-E.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
25th May 2019, 10:38
I have sympathy for Andre Lotterer. Its like Monaco all over again. Once again, the team’s obsession with track evolution costs dearly rather than, just getting your head down and setting a lap.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
25th May 2019, 10:39
* Sorry that should have read “no sympathy”!
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
25th May 2019, 16:42
Really nice effort from Vandoorne!