Superb show at Argentinian round

JAN

2015

Renault-Nissan Alliance Team

Superb show at Argentinian round

The FIA Formula E Championship drivers and teams returned to action in Buenos Aires a few days into the New Year, at the fourth ePrix of the season. After an incident-packed race, Antonio Felix da Costa (Amlin Aguri) won the Argentinian event, which also saw displays of models from the Renault ZE range and the first ever Formula E School Series race.

Pursuing its tour of the Americas begun in Uruguay at the end of 2014, the teams and drivers competing in the FIA Formula E Championship headed for Argentina this weekend. Round four was held in Buenos Aires, a city renowned worldwide for its commitment to sustainable mobility.

Involved in the series since its inception, Renault Sport was aiming – as always – to provide the competitors with increasingly reliable, safe and fast Spark-Renault SRT_01E single-seaters. Mission accomplished at the Micaela Bastidas Park circuit, a stone’s throw from the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve.

As a curtain-raiser to the ePrix, Lucas Gambarte and Diego Guarachi Guzman grabbed wins in the Power and Eco categories of the Formula E School Series race, during which various Buenos Aires’ schools competed with one another.

Sébastien Buemi (e.dams-Renault) went quickest in free practice before claiming his first pole position in the series and then making a perfect start when the race got underway. Still leading after the drivers pitted to change cars, the Swiss made a mistake when he was put pressure by Lucas di Grassi, the championship leader. Four laps later, the Brazilian hit the wall, which handed the lead to Nick Heidfeld (Venturi). His hopes of victory were however dashed when he was given a penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

Former World Series by Renault driver, Antonio Felix da Costa (Amlin Aguri) managed to hold onto the lead to take the race win. After an impressive fightback from seventh in the second half of the race, Nicolas Prost (e.dams-Renault) finished as runner-up, ahead of Nelson Piquet Jr (China Racing), following a fiercely contested battle in the closing laps.

Formula E now takes a short break before resuming in Miami, where the ePrix held on 14 March will mark the halfway point of the 2014-2015 season.

Thierry Koskas, Chief Executive Officer of Renault Argentina: “The Buenos Aires ePrix provided an ideal opportunity to showcase Renault’s strong commitment to sustainable mobility. On the track, we enjoyed a fantastic, compelling spectacle, during which Renault, a global pioneer in marketing a full range of electric vehicles, played a very significant role. In finishing in second place, Nico Prost and e.dams-Renault have made this round doubly satisfying.”

RACE RESULT