Miami ePrix – Race: Nicolas Prost finally wins!

The weather conditions are excellent in Miami just minutes before the start: it’s sunny, the wind is almost nonexistent, and the temperature is 28°C on the grid. As a reminder, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne in the Andretti takes off from pole position, with Nicolas Prost for e.dams beside him. Sam Bird (Virgin Racing) and Daniel Abt (Audi Sport Abt) occupy the 2nd row while the Championship leader, Lucas di Grassi (Audi Sport Abt) starts from 7th position.

Nelson Piquet Junior received a 5-place grid penalty while Nick Heidfeld and Karun Chandhok were excluded from Qualifying.

Also noteworthy is that Jean-Eric Vergne, Salvador Duran, and Bruno Senna have garnered the public’s favor for the Fan-Boost, and they will receive a power bonus to use during the race.

At the start, JEV has a rather complicated takeoff, which forces him to zigzag down the track. Nico Prost catches up to him. The start is very intense with Vergne, Prost, Sam Bird, and Daniel Abt occupying the entire width of the track. Abt slightly nudges Prost, who leans on the rear of the ex-Toro Rosso driver’s car just before the first corner. Under pressure and losing control of his vehicle for a moment, Vergne still manages to take the corner and continue.

Sam Bird, on his part, got an excellent start, overtaking Nico Prost at the 4th corner. Meanwhile, Charles Pic spun out. The standings at the end of the first lap are as follows: Vergne in the lead ahead of Bird, Prost, Abt, Sarrazin, Di Grassi, Piquet Jr, D’Ambrosio, Speed, and Duran. Bird attacks relentlessly in the early laps and clocks the fastest lap in 1:10.564. Jean Eric Vergne is on the defensive to maintain the lead in the race.

After 5 laps, the order remains unchanged within the Top 10. Vitantonio Liuzzi overtakes Duran on the 7th lap to gain 10th place. In the middle of the pack, the race is calm, with overtaking intentions restrained.

After 10 Laps, Sam Bird is tucked into Jean-Eric Vergne’s slipstream. Prost and Abt are also lurking. For his first ePrix, Loïc Duval livens up the second half of the standings with a strong comeback: he is currently in 14th place. Sébastien Buemi takes 11th position from Vitantonio Liuzzi, who is dropping back. This part of the standings is lined up in single file, from Liuzzi in 12th to Jarno Trulli in 17th. On the 14th lap, Charles Pic, in last place, sees the leaders closing in on him, and the blue flags order him to let them pass.

After 15 laps, Vergne still controls the race ahead of Bird, Prost, Abt, Sarrazin, Di Grassi, Piquet Junior, D’Ambrosio, Speed, and Sébastien Buemi, who enters the Top 10. Loïc Duval finds an opening on Liuzzi by passing on the inside to gain 12th place. The situation becomes tense for Vergne as Sam Bird is nestled in his rear slipstream. The Frenchman increasingly locks his wheels during braking.

19th lap, Bird attempts an attack at the first corner. The Englishman clearly goes on the offensive and touches Vergne’s rear wing. He overtakes decisively and takes the lead of the race. Vergne and Prost dive into the pit lane at the end of the lap to switch to their second car. Sam Bird loses the lead on the 20th lap and slows down briefly, allowing Piquet Jr to take the leadership. Bird makes his stop on the 21st lap. Piquet Jr temporarily leads ahead of Heidfeld, Abt, Prost, Di Grassi, and Vergne, who lost significantly during the pit stops. The strategy of the Audi Abt team is commendable for their drivers’ positional gains.

After Piquet Junior’s stop, Daniel Abt takes the lead on the 23rd lap. Heidfeld falls to 15th place. The standout performance so far is attributed to Scott Speed, who passes Vergne (his teammate) on the 24th lap to gain 4th place.

After 25 laps, Abt leads ahead of Prost, Di Grassi, Speed, Vergne, D’Ambrosio, Bird, Buemi, Piquet Jr., Senna. Note that Stéphane Sarrazin has fallen back to 19th place due to a prolonged first stop. On the 26th lap, Bruno Senna pits and retires, marking the first retirement of the race. Da Costa enters the Top 10. The leading trio is closely packed, with a small gap of about 2 seconds on Scott Speed.

After 30 laps, the Top 10 remains unchanged. Nelson Piquet Junior sets the fastest lap and gets past Sam Bird. The leaders encounter some backmarkers. The Brazilian continues his overtaking spree by assertively passing JEV on the 32nd lap. The traffic benefits Scott Speed, who catches up to Di Grassi. Scott Speed is also a man to watch at the end of this ePrix as he dives into the opening left by Di Grassi, moving into third place.

After 35 Laps, Abt, Prost, and Speed form the provisional podium ahead of Di Grassi, D’Ambrosio, Piquet Junior, Vergne, Buemi, Da Costa, Bird. Scott Speed is unstoppable and now closing in on Nico Prost. In the middle of the pack, Loïc Duval has moved up to the edge of the Top 10. The tension is at its peak as they start the last 3 laps, Abt, Prost, and Speed are wheel to wheel. Prost’s pressure pays off, Daniel Abt gives up the lead, Speed slips through and also overtakes Abt. A superb maneuver by Nico Prost and an excellent reflex from Scott Speed, who took advantage of Daniel Abt’s poor trajectory.

Nico Prost must now hold off Scott Speed, he touches the wall on the final lap. But a double yellow flag saves the Frenchman. Nico Prost wins the Miami ePrix!

1st victory for Nico Prost in this first Formula E season. The Frenchman achieves a double success by taking the lead in the World Drivers’ Championship. His team e.dams also strengthens its dominance in the Constructors’ Standings.