ePrix de Paris – Qualifying: Buemi for a breath of fresh air!

The electric tension rose a notch at midday around the Paris circuit. The twelve strokes of noon were ringing, and it was time to get on track to place as high as possible.

In order to bring even more interest, the draw for the qualifying groups gave us an exciting distribution.

Group 1: Buemi / Bird / Abt / Sarrazin / Di Grassi

Group 2: Piquet Jr / Conway / Evans / Lopez / Prost

Group 3: Vergne / Turvey / Gutierrez / D’Ambrosio / Rosenqvist

Group 4: Heidfeld / Frijns / Da Costa / Dillmann / Carroll

The two rivals in the title race faced off right from the first group. As usual, each driver went out for two laps: a first run to prepare the car at 170 kilowatts, and a second timed run at full power: 200 kilowatts.

G1: Buemi ensures, Di Grassi and Bird immediately expelled

Maximum concentration at the moment the big players came through. The first place was already highly contested! And Sébastien Buemi was there, displacing Lucas di Grassi, who was initially leading in the first sector. But it was the Swiss driver who secured the provisional best time with 1:02.171. The driver was pleased afterward with a good exploitation of the Michelin tires. For the Brazilian, it was a disappointing result as Felix Rosenqvist placed himself in second position.

The main rival of the leader in the overall standings was expelled from the top five drivers in the following minutes.

Last in this group, the disappointment was just as immense for Sam Bird. The poleman of the previous edition didn’t manage to make the most of his DS Virgin. The increase in temperatures naturally plays a role in the evolution of the tires and the grip of the cars.

G2: Lopez carries DS Virgin

The next group saw the appearance of the other DS Virgin and the other Renault e.Dams. More comfortable than the Englishman, José Maria Lopez climbed to second place just behind Buemi, by just under three-tenths. After a good first sector, Mitch Evans also secured a good time, with the right to dream of advancing to the Super Pole. The Jaguar driver overtook Nico Prost in fifth place after the first 10 drivers had completed their runs. Meanwhile, Nelson Piquet joined the ranks of those eliminated.

G3: A track clearly improving

The Parisian sun played its role in the unfolding of this session. Proof of this with the lap times of the drivers in group 3. A boon for the local of the stage, who took his turn on the track around the Invalides.

Vergne achieved a performance synonymous with second place: 1:02.274; the Frenchman was only one-tenth behind Buemi. Immediately after, Esteban Gutierrez, his teammate at Techeetah, moved up to fifth place, thanks to a strong attack on the 1.920-kilometer track.

Just before them, Oliver Turvey was also in the spotlight, slotting into third place between Vergne and Lopez. Even though the NextEV driver knew he would automatically be pushed ten places back on the grid for changing his electric motor.

Cruel session, however, for Stéphane Sarrazin, forced to return to his pit at the end of his flying lap.

G4: Heidfeld falls short of the top 5

The rookie was the first competitor in the fourth group, the last moment of the first qualifying phase. Unfortunately for Tom Dillmann, his lap was insufficient for dreaming. None of the three following drivers managed to join the final party either. Robin Frijns, Antonio Félix da Costa, and Adam Carroll, who finished last, each failed in turn.

Last driver on track, Nick Heidfeld delivered a spectacular style, lightly brushing the wall at the exit of T14, the final corner of the circuit. Despite a good middle sector, the German, who was on the podium in Monaco, finished first of the others in sixth position.

How hard was @NickHeidfeld pushing? This hard! #ParisePrix pic.twitter.com/ZJMl80ZDAl

— FIA Formula E (@FIAformulaE) May 20, 2017

The five happy winners were as follows, in this order, followed by the rest of the pack.

.@JeanEricVergne, @Sebastien_buemi, @OliverTurvey, @pechito37 & @EstebanGtz make it into to Super Pole> https://t.co/UC4FsSD4BM #ParisePrix pic.twitter.com/HPsFhPPMZ2

— FIA Formula E (@FIAformulaE) 20 mai 2017

Super-Pole: Buemi withstands the pressure

First in the lineup by order of appearance, Esteban Gutierrez ruined his chances in the straight towards the eighth corner. A braking that was too late sent him into the escape road and condemned him to the final fifth place.

José Maria Lopez then had a clear path to set the best provisional time. After nearly jeopardizing his chances at the same turn, the Argentine completed his lap in 1:02.640, two tenths more than his previous attempt.

The eighth turn was definitely a highly difficult passage. Understeering and on the edge, Oliver Turvey finished behind the DS Virgin Racing driver. A fine fourth place, which became a fourteenth place after the penalty was applied.

Second to last participant, Jean-Eric Vergne had the potential to make a significant impact. Ahead of the others, Jean-Eric Vergne impressed everyone with a splendid final sector: 1:02.125 and three-tenths ahead!

Sébastien Buemi was thus threatened in the face of this strong time. The Swiss took up the challenge: ahead in the first two sectors, the Renault e.Dams driver snatched the Pole… by 6 thousandths. A great spectacle at a distance between these drivers who came through the Red Bull program, who will therefore occupy the front row of the Paris ePrix.

Watch @Sebastien_buemi‘s pole lap for the Qatar Airways #ParisePrix pic.twitter.com/eNW94gX8jB

— FIA Formula E (@FIAformulaE) 20 mai 2017

Dominant four times in races this season, the reigning champion had not yet shown real dominance in qualifying, with the scoreboard only unlocked in Monaco seven days ago. Here he is launched, to the great joy of his competitors, who will have to hope for a failure or an overtake to topple the current reference!

.@Sebastien_buemi takes the Julius Baer Pole Position for the 2017 FIA Formula E @qatarairways #ParisePrix pic.twitter.com/xOYxkBcw4b

— FIA Formula E (@FIAformulaE) May 20, 2017

After a short break, join us now just before 4 PM for a special live tweet dedicated to the 2017 Paris ePrix. So, don’t miss it!