Jack AmeyBMW i Andretti Motorsport’s Maximilian Guenther claimed his first Formula E victory after winning the Santiago E-Prix.
Guenther started second behind Jaguar’s Mitch Evans but lost out to Mahindra’s Pascal Wehrlein at the start.
He then had to pass Venturi Racing’s Edoardo Mortara for third place at the re-designed left-hander of Turn 1 later on in the race before passing Wehrlein on track.
Evans, who had used both attack mode activations with 30 minutes left of the race, was commanding the race by leading Guenther by around two seconds.
But Guenther’s second attack mode meant he was able to close up to Evans and pass him around the outside of Turn 8 into the Turn 9 left-hander.
Guenther pulled away from Evans who soon found himself under attack from DS Techeetah’s Antonio Felix da Costa, with the Portuguese driver able to pass Evans at Turn 9 for second place.
Felix da Costa then set about closing the gap to Guenther, needing just a lap to get on the back of Guenther’s BMW car.
Felix da Costa went up the inside of Guenther at the Turn 10 hairpin, hitting the eventual race winner to take lead. Both drivers were able to continue.
Guenther stayed behind Felix da Costa until the last lap where he made a move into Turn 9 to re-take the lead and claim his first Formula E win.
Felix da Costa came home second, ahead of Evans. Although Mercedes EQ FE’s Nyck de Vries had passed Evans for third on track, he had been given a penalty in the race that dropped him to fifth.
Wehrlein finished fourth, ahead of de Vries, with de Vries’ Mercedes team-mate, Stoffel Vandoorne, in sixth.
Audi Sport Abt’s Lucas di Grassi finished in seventh place after starting 22nd while Jaguar’s James Calado made his way up the grid from 18th to eighth.
Venturi’s Felipe Massa finished ninth after an eventful race which included an incident with team-mate Mortara while Envision Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird rounded out the point scorers.
Nico Mueller was 11th for Dragon Racing while NIO 333’s Oliver Turvey finished in 12th after qualifying his car in fifth place.
Reigning champion Jean-Eric Vergne was not classified after picking up damage in the race. The bodywork was rubbing on his front left tyre causing smoke to come from his car and while the bodywork came off, Vergne retired from the race.
Championship leader Alexander Sims was also not classified. He, like Vergne, picked up damage during the race and was unable to continue.
Bethonie Waring
