Formula E: Preview – Berlin ePrix

On a spectacular weekend of single-seater action that features the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500, the FIA Formula E Championship also returns for its tenth round of the season at the Tempelhof Airport.

A unique circuit, in the fact it’s essentially designed like a regular motor racing circuit on a flat section of concrete to the outside of the airport. The drivers of previous years will be well used the design, as will the teams, who have two years of data to rely on going into qualifying tomorrow.

Practice, taking place earlier today, has given the field a day of preparation, a rare luxury for a championship that usually wraps up its whole schedule within 10 hours.

Going into the weekend, Techeetah have it all to lose. Their drivers currently sit first and second in the standings, with defending champion Jean-Eric Vergne becoming the first driver to pick up two wins last time out in Monaco. It will be his teammate Andre Lotterer that all eyes will be on. The German has slowly become a force to be reckoned with in this points battle and will be under pressure to finally collect his maiden victory, maybe a golden opportunity during his home ePrix.

Depending on how you count it, Oliver Rowland has picked up three pole positions with incredible pace shown in the last two races. He goes into Berlin as the top British driver, but now that he’s in the top ten in the championship he’ll have to qualify in the second group. This could easily open the door for another polesitter, such as Alex Lynn, who has been on an upward curve since his return to Jaguar.

Vergne has proven that qualifying in the worst group won’t cripple your chances of a strong grid place. After Rowland was demoted for a penalty he assumed pole in Monaco, never looking back until the latter stages when Rowland started to catch. Monaco of course is hard to pass around, though Berlin represents no such issue.

A fast wide circuit, Tempelhof is different to most locations and offers plenty of opportunity to overtake. Lotterer himself gained eleven places from the back of the grid last year, collecting two points that was crucial in the teams title race between Techeetah and Audi Sport Abt.

Speaking of Audi, last years ePrix was one by Lotterer’s countryman; Daniel Abt. No German has won a race this season. His win last year proved to be the start of an end of season revolution that helped his team win the constructors title. In 2018, Audi had a 74 point deficit coming into this round, in 2019 it’s 44. Of course the field is a lot tighter this season, though the German manufacturer’s end of season form should never be discounted.

This season, only three drivers have picked up more than two podiums. One of them is Vergne, but it’ll be his two rivals Robin Frijns and Antonio Felix Da Costa who’ll also be looking to make it four. Lying third and fourth in the standings, just 6 and 17 points behind the Frenchman both are still in prime position to upset the Techeetah crew. Frijns notably has been a season of big or bust. Four non-points finish has been suppliment by five races in which he’s only finished inside the top five, perhaps a fourth podium could give the Dutchman an edge come the double header in New York.

Just like Da Costa, another driver on 70 points is Lucas di Grassi. The Brazilian retired after contact last round, losing ground on Vergne, who leaped him and four other drivers. All of the top seven still have a realistic chance of taking the title with Mitch Evans and Jerome d’Ambrosio also with a race win of the top. In fact, a perfect weekend (pole, FL, win and no points for Techeetah’s) either Oliver Rowland or Daniel Abt could also be leading the way.

Formula E has never been so competitive and with the possibility of yet another winner still on the table, anything could happen.

Qualifying starts early on Saturday, with coverage from 8:30 local time (7:30 UK). The race will take place later in the day at 13:00 (12:00 UK). Live Radio coverage can be listened to here on Motorsport.Radio