Di Grassi stays on top with Berlin win

Brazil's Lucas di Grassi claimed his second win in the eighth race of the Formula E season at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport on Saturday to stay top of the drivers' championships.

The Brazilian covered the 33 laps in a winning time of 48mins 18.980secs at the former airport in the heart of Germany's capital, which closed in 2008 and was the site of the famous Berlin airlift from April 1948-May 1949.

Launched this season, the Formula E series features 100 percent electric cars competing over 11 rounds and will finish with two races in London on June 27 and 28.

Having also won the Beijing ePrix last September, di Grassi dominated from the front in Berlin.

He took advantage of a mistake by Jarno Trulli, who had started in pole position, to slide his Audi Sport ABT into the lead through the third turn of the opening lap.

He finished 7.586secs ahead of Belgium's Jerome d'Ambrosio, who was second, while third-placed Sebastien Buemi of Switzerland was third at 10.019s back.

"I didn’t know how Jarno would play the race, but he made a mistake in the third turn and I was able to pass," said di Grassi.

"I knew I could use this advantage to make a gap and I pushed very hard.

"I managed to drive on the limit for ten laps and open up the lead. After that it was just gap management, and making sure it was under control."

Di Grassi's car ran out of power just seconds after he crossed the line, which meant his victory lap was completed on a tow rope.

But it could not dampen his spirits as he extended his points lead to 17 over Nelson Piquet Jr, the son of the former Formula One star with the same name in the drivers championship.
Source: AFP