Just Electric

Race Review: the top three from Paris

Eight winners from eight races, a new Formula E championship leader and Formula E’s first proper wet race – what more could you want on the streets of Paris? Accidents, collisions, a few bumps, a mid-race hail storm and a mix of full course yellows and safety cars – the Paris E-Prix  was an eventful race.

As drivers skated off the track (or, in the case of Lucas di Grassi in opening practice, down the straight), it became a race of survival to see who would take the win.

Envision Virgin Racing’s Robin Frijns became the eighth different winner of Season 5 with victory around the Circuit des Invalides in Paris.

With lots of standout performances in the difficult conditions, who did the Just Electric team pick as their top three drivers from the Paris E-Prix?

Robin Frijns

Frijns celebrates his maiden Formula E victory

It would be harsh not to include the race winner in this one given the difficult conditions, and we did include him.

Frijns started from third on the grid and was promoted to second when Nissan e.dams’ Oliver Rowland crashed into the barriers. Rowland was able to keep going but found himself at the back of the field having relinquished his lead to team-mate Sebastien Buemi.

A few laps later Buemi had an issue himself: contact between him and Frijns (Buemi had tried to cut back for the attack mode activation zone and Frijns was on that bit of road) meant the Swiss driver picked up a slow puncture.

Frijns inherited the lead and there he stayed while Paris threw everything at him: rain, hail, full course yellows and safety cars. It was a measured race from Frijns to hold off Andre Lotterer and take his maiden victory.

Andre Lotterer

Lotterer tackles the tricky conditions of the Circuit des Invaldies

It wasn’t that long ago that DS Techeetah’s Lotterer was struggling with getting results in Formula E. Season 5 is different though, as he claimed his second consecutive podium on the streets of Paris.

Like Frijns, Lotterer inherited a few places when the two Nissan cars had issues throughout the race. But, also like Frijns, it was a controlled race for Lotterer in the difficult conditions.

The 18 points gained move Lotterer into second place in the championship – one point behind Frijns – despite not winning a race this season. In a championship where consistently scoring high points is going to be valuable, it could prove to be a very successful season for Lotterer.

Maximilian Guenther

Guenther claimed his first Formula E points with a measured drive in Paris

Guenther started the season for Dragon Racing, got dropped for three races as ex-Formula 1 driver Felipe Nasr came in, then got his seat back for Rome when Nasr was driving in Long Beach.

Until that point, Guenther had shown pace but various issues kept him from scoring points.

Paris was a turning point for the young German.

He qualified fifth and finished in fifth – the only driver to not gain or lose positions compared to starting position – and picked up his first Formula E points. The 10 points collected by Guenther move Dragon above NIO in the teams’ championship.

While Guenther’s race may have been a relatively calm compared to the chaos around him, he drove like a veteran in the tricky conditions to bring home his first points.

Just Electric Staff

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