Formula E – Buenos Aires ePrix – Race: Antonio Felix da Costa wins for Amlin Aguri

The weather is nice in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina where the second and final South American round of the first Formula E season is taking place. It’s hot for the race, which could complicate matters in terms of the cars’ range.

At the start, no problem for Buemi who manages to keep the lead ahead of Heidfeld and Alguersuari – the two men touching slightly at the first turn. Behind them, there are Bird, di Grassi, and da Costa making up the top 6. Michela Cerruti stops in the pits after just one lap with an apparently slightly damaged car, but she can continue, albeit a lap behind her rivals already.

Lucas di Grassi, leader of the championship, gets rid of Sam Bird to take 5th place while, with the help of the Fan Boost, Nick Heidfeld closes in on the leader, Sébastien Buemi.

After 5 laps, Sébastien Buemi is still leading ahead of Heidfeld, Alguersuari, di Grassi, Bird, Vergne, da Costa, Prost, Piquet Jr, and Chandhok. However, the Swiss must be wary of the German driver who is very close behind. Jaime Alguersuari must also be cautious of di Grassi, who is right behind his Virgin.

The championship leader attacks Alguersuari at turn 5 and it works. Behind, Bird shows himself but stays behind while da Costa overtakes Vergne immediately after. Meanwhile, Nicolas Prost sets the fastest lap with a time of 1:12.6, but di Grassi improves it to 1:12.1.

Buemi manages to slightly widen the gap on Heidfeld, who sees Lucas di Grassi closing in. The Brazilian is in good form and should soon try his luck against the German’s Venturi.

After 10 laps, Buemi is still leading the Buenos Aires ePrix ahead of Heidfeld, di Grassi, Alguersuari, and Bird in the top 5. In the pack, Abt tries his luck against Senna but brakes too late and sees the Brazilian cross to regain the advantage.

On the 14th lap, di Grassi tries his luck against Heidfeld at turn 5 and it works, even though it forces Heidfeld to widen his trajectory. The German loses a lot in the process as he cuts the chicane and consequently sees both Virgin cars pass him, Alguersuari and then Bird; da Costa also tries to take advantage, but it doesn’t work.

After 15 laps, Buemi leads ahead of di Grassi, Alguersuari, Bird, Heidfeld, da Costa, Vergne, Prost, Piquet Jr, and Abt. Karun Chandhok is stopped on the track with a damaged car, the rear wing is no longer in place, it seems he had a mechanical issue with his rear-right suspension. Yellow flag but no safety car.

The salvo of the first stops begins with Alguersuari, Prost, Piquet Jr, and Senna in particular. Heidfeld, meanwhile, has repassed Bird.

The safety car is deployed and it’s not a good thing for Buemi who is stuck behind Michela Cerruti. The leaders are coming into the pits in turn. Piquet Jr and Senna are unlucky, they are blocked at the end of the pit lane as the safety car passes by, and they will rejoin at the back of the pack. Jérôme d’Ambrosio is the last to stop while the safety car is still on track during the removal of Karun Chandhok’s car.

After 20 laps, Buemi is still in the lead ahead of di Grassi, but the leaders are far behind the safety car and the drivers are starting to overtake it to regain the race order. Buemi is finally the first driver behind the safety car as Chandhok’s Mahindra has been cleared.

At the start of the 23rd lap, the drivers are once again alone on the track, the safety car having returned to the pits. Buemi still leads ahead of di Grassi, Heidfeld, da Costa, Bird, Alguersuari, Prost, Vergne, Abt, Servia, and Duran in the top 10.

Buemi hits the wall at the entrance of the last chicane and damages his e.dams-Renault, it’s over for the Swiss who was in the lead! Lucas di Grassi therefore takes the lead of the race. At the first turn of the 24th lap, Bird overtakes da Costa and takes back 3rd place. Vergne, meanwhile, has passed Prost.

After 25 laps, Lucas di Grassi is in the lead ahead of Heidfeld, Bird, da Costa, Alguersuari, Vergne, Prost, Abt, Servia, and Piquet Jr. Bird will not keep his 3rd place for long as he receives a drive-through penalty for exiting the pits while the lights were red.

It’s Lucas di Grassi’s turn to encounter a problem, in the same place as Chandhok and Buemi! It’s over for the Brazilian driver who seems to have fallen victim to a right-rear suspension problem just like Chandhok! Nick Heidfeld takes the lead. Di Grassi’s Audi Abt is stopped on the track, which could bring out the safety car for a second time in this ePrix.

Bird enters the pits to serve his penalty, while Ho-Pin Tung is also penalized with a drive-through penalty for a pit stop that was too fast. Lucas di Grassi’s car has been cleared without the intervention of the safety car, and there is no longer a yellow flag on the track.

After 30 laps, Nick Heidfeld is in the lead ahead of Antonio Felix da Costa and Jaime Alguersuari. They are followed by Vergne, Prost, Abt, Piquet Jr, Servia, Duran, and Senna, while Bird, in 11th, is on the attack to climb back up after serving his penalty. Yellow flags are back out to remove di Grassi’s car.

Vergne is attacking Alguersuari, a great battle between the two former Toro Rosso drivers in F1. Duran has lost positions on his side, he’s out of the top 10, having been overtaken by Senna and Bird. Vergne is growing impatient behind Alguersuari.

The Frenchman hits Alguersuari under braking as the Spaniard seems to have closed the door a bit late. Prost takes advantage to pass Alguersuari in turn. Meanwhile, Nick Heidfeld, leading the race, is penalized with a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane. Alguersuari passes Prost back.

Problem for Vergne at turn 5, he goes wide, but manages to maintain the advantage over his rivals. Abt takes a long shot and hits Alguersuari, who was ahead of Prost! Heidfeld serves his penalty, leaving the lead to Antonio Felix da Costa. Vergne tries his luck on Prost at the first corner but it doesn’t work out, and he sees Alguersuari and Piquet Jr pass him as a result!

At the finish, Antonio Felix da Costa wins for Amlin Aguri! The Portuguese driver comes in ahead of Nicolas Prost and Nelson Piquet Jr. Alguersuari is next, followed by Senna, Vergne, Bird, Duran, Heidfeld, and Servia who rounds out the top 10.

Standings of the Buenos Aires Formula E ePrix