Berlin E-Prix – Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler driver Daniel Abt has claimed pole position for his home Formula E race in Berlin.
It is his first pole in three years, his previous one being at Long Beach in the inaugural season of the championship.
He is currently being investigated, however, for breaching Article 33.3 which concerns conduct during qualifying. It is believed that Abt went into the 200kW mode too early before his flying lap, which they cannot do before the final sector.
NIO’s Oliver Turvey will be on the front row alongside Abt, 0.263 seconds off his super pole time of 1:09.472, equalling his best qualifying result of the season.
Championship leader Jean-Eric Vergne was third ahead of Jerome D’Ambrosio, who scored Dragon’s best qualifying result of the season.
Reigning champion Lucas di Grassi was fifth after going too deep into the Turn 9 hairpin and losing time saving the car from a slide, having topped group qualifying.
Title contender Felix Rosenqvist was 0.008 seconds away from a top five position in group qualifying, admitting that he “under-drove” his lap. He lines up sixth ahead of Sebastien Buemi’s Renault e.dams.
Alex Lynn was seventh for DS Virgin Racing, ahead of Mitch Evans’ Jaguar and championship protagonist Sam Bird completed the top ten.
Standing in for Edoardo Mortara who is on DTM duties, Tom Dillmann out-qualified his Venturi team-mate Maro Engel in 12th and 13th respectively.
Stephane Sarrazin out-performed his more experienced Andretti team-mate Antonio Felix da Costa on his return to Formula E, qualifying 16th and 17th.
Andre Lotterer was just 18th fastest, but will start at the back after getting a 10-place grid penalty for his collision with Bird in Paris. He will also take a time penalty in the race as he cannot serve the full penalty.
Luca Filippi’s NIO and the Renault e.dams of Nico Prost were the final two cars on the timesheets.
