The Rome E-Prix lived up to the expectations of Romans and fans worldwide: a gripping race full of twists along the monumental circuit in the EUR district. Sam Bird on DS Virgin Racing takes the win.
Finally, Formula E has arrived in Rome, showcasing the spectacle of racing cars that use electric energy instead of petrol. 14 April 2018 thus becomes an important date for the Italian capital and for the country, as the EUR district plays host to the Rome E-Prix and the ABB Formula E world championship.
At 2.84 kilometres, with twenty-one corners over twenty-one laps, the EUR street circuit becomes the second longest on the Formula E calendar, running along a stretch of Viale Cristoforo Colombo and past the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana and the obelisk in Piazza Guglielmo Marconi. A technical layout, with numerous bends and chicanes that were expected to keep the drivers on their toes throughout the race. The streets of the EUR district involved include Viale dell'Arte, Viale dell'Artigianato, Via delle Tre Fontane, Viale dell'Agricoltura and Via Ciro il Grande.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAJwXL36kkI"
After the start, the cars face the first corner beside the Nuvola di Fuksas, with the track to the left and the pit lane to the right surrounding the Palazzo dei Congressi. After several corners, they pass the Salone delle Fontane before reaching the Obelisco di Marconi, then find themselves crossing the finish line level with the Palazzo dell'Arte Moderna.
Some of the drivers taking part in the race had the chance to do a lap in their electric cars on the streets of Rome and immediately seemed thrilled about this new grand prix on the championship calendar. "It's exciting to have a new race on the calendar, Rome is an iconic city," said Daniel Abt, echoed by fellow driver Oliver Turvey: "It's great that we've brought Formula E to Italy and to Rome in particular, a city steeped in history and one of the most beautiful in the world." "Italian fans are passionate about motorsport, they shout and buzz with emotion," says Abt's teammate Lucas di Grassi. The Brazilian driver, winner of the 2016–2017 season, proudly admits to having Italian roots and even an Italian passport.
Leggi anche: Campionato Formula E: ecco le monoposto elettriche
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGRSWjslnEU"
The morning had already seen two free practice sessions, qualifying at 12:00 and the Formula E Super Pole. The race got under way at 16:00. A thrilling race finale with three drivers contending for victory — Bird, Evans and Di Grassi, the latter also the recipient of a Fan Boost. Numerous overtakes among the three contenders. At the very end, however, third place was claimed by André Lotterer, who managed to pass Evans. The final descent along Via Cristoforo Colombo crowned Sam Bird the winner, with Di Grassi second and Lotterer third.
Free practice had been led by the Panasonic Jaguar Racing of Nelson Piquet Jr, followed by the DS Virgin Racing of Sam Bird and the second Jaguar of Mitch Evans. Pole position was taken by Swedish driver Felix Rosenqvist of Mahindra Racing, ahead of Sam Bird and Mitch Evans. Rosenqvist topped the times with a lap of 1:36.311, one second slower than his free practice time, which had been the fastest overall at 1:35.467.
The Swedish driver was unlucky, being forced to retire due to suspension damage. During the race, the Fan Boost — the opportunity to enjoy a period of greater power and speed from the car — was claimed by Italian driver Luca Filippi, thanks above all to votes from Italian fans.
Read also: The electric Motomondiale is coming, and all the bikes are Italian
Formula E was a winning bet, though initially met with a lukewarm reception, particularly from purists who could not accept the silent electric motors. Performance levels are nonetheless high, and there is no air pollution. Research in the electric car sector is significant, as these vehicles have now become an important reality in several European countries such as Norway.
