No points for MS Amlin Andretti in the Monaco ePrix.

The Qualifying

It was a difficult qualifying session for MS Amlin Andretti’s two
drivers. Best of the pair was Robin Frijns, who qualified in
13th position. António Félix da Costa could only manage
17th. The Dutchman stopped the clock at 54.034 seconds with
the Portuguese timed at 54.631 around the tiny Monaco track.

 

The Race

Both drivers were able to make good progress from their starting
positions. Frijns used great racecraft to execute a five-place gain
around the outside of the first turn, while Félix da Costa moved to
15th with similar tactics. The 25-year-old moved up two
more places before the stops, climbing to 13th position. On
the race’s 22nd lap, the Qualcomm Safety Car BMW i8 was
brought into play after an on-track incident. Both MS Amlin Andretti
cars dived for the pits, and rejoined in points-earning slots. Frijns
was eighth, and Félix da Costa had jumped to tenth. The green flag
waved at the beginning of lap 26, halfway through the 51-lap distance,
and energy management would be key. Both drivers held their ground in
the points until, on the final lap, Frijns found himself just short
with an energy regeneration issue, allowing Félix da Costa into ninth.
The Dutch driver fell back to 12th at the finish. However,
post-race investigation decided that Félix da Costa’s pit release was
unsafe, and he was penalised 33 seconds – costing two places. He was
classified 11th. The race was won by Sébastien Buemi (SUI)
for Renault e.dams.

 

The Reactions

 

António Félix da Costa, MS Amlin Andretti: “I was not
happy with qualifying. In qualifying we were in Group 1, which was
nice, but we were also a little bit cautious and went on track very
early. All that combined was the beginning of a bad qualifying and we
had to start towards the back. We had good speed and a good race,
managed our energy well and ended up finishing ninth on the road.
Obviously being here, where it’s so hard to overtake, I think that’s a
positive to take home. In the end, 11th is not where I want
to be, and it isn’t where the team wants to be. As a team we know that
so we will work harder to keep improving.”

 

Robin Frijns, MS Amlin Andretti: “The race was
difficult. Everything looked okay in the first car, and I think I had
more energy left mid-way through the race than the cars around me. I
think the other cars were planning to stop one lap earlier than we
were, but then the safety car came out and everyone came to their box
at the same time. After that, it was about everyone surviving. I had
Gutierrez behind me, so I couldn’t follow the car in front of me. Then
in the last few laps the regen went away and I couldn’t recover. It
was a bit of a surprise but that’s how it goes.”

 

The BMW i Vehicle Fleet

For Season 3, BMW i remains the “Official Vehicle Partner” for the
FIA Formula E Championship. The BMW i8 (fuel consumption combined: 2.1
l/100 km / 134.5 mpg imp; CO2 emissions combined: 49 g/km) will
continue as the high-performance, efficient Safety Car in Formula E.
The same goes for the BMW i3 (energy consumption combined: 12.9 kWh;
CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km), which is the “Medical Car” and “Race
Director Car” and for the BMW X5 xDrive40e (fuel consumption combined:
3.4–3.3 l/100 km / 83.1–85.6 mpg imp; CO2 emissions combined: 78–77
g/km; figures based on the EU test cycle, may vary depending on the
tyre format specified), which functions as the “Rescue Car” or
“Extrication Car”.

 

The Outlook

FIA Formula E will stay on European soil for its next race, the Paris
ePrix in one week’s time, on 20th May. The iconic city,
capital of France, will once again host a race around the historic
Les Invalides area.