Skip advert
Advertisement
Partnership

Action-packed Putrajaya ePrix shows how exciting Formula E can be

Malaysia had all the makings of a great motor race

Round two of the 2015-2016 Formula E championship took place in Malaysia at the Putrajaya ePrix. The race provided fans with plenty of wheel-to-wheel racing, late lunges, accidents, mechanical failures, drama, winners and losers – pretty much all the ingredients of a great motor race were included.

The race was an immense challenge for both car and driver, and it reminded us of just how exciting single-seater racing can be. Below, we look back on the eventful ePrix and consider its effects on the championship.

The race 

Malaysia was probably the toughest running the teams’ new electric motors had faced yet. Sweltering heat meant that ambient temperatures were well above 30 degree Celsius, and track temperatures were in excess of 50 degree Celsius – a massive challenge for the cars’ Michelin tyres. So influential was the heat that Di Grassi conceded his win was largely down to effective temperature management.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Malaysia also offered other unique challenges, which affected both motors and tyres. Serge Grisin, Michelin’s Formula E programme manager, explained: ‘We faced a challenging combination of difficult weather, a dirty track and asphalt which offered little grip in places. But thanks to the information we brought back from Malaysia last year, we knew that the Michelin Pilot Sport EV would be a match for this cocktail.’ 

The tyres might have performed consistently, but the slippery track conditions certainly caught drivers out. Nick Heidfeld held on to what had to be one of the biggest slides ever attempted in a Formula E car. His heart-in-mouth moment ended with a light brush of the barriers – he lost a place but survived to race on.

Others weren’t so lucky in the race, with early leader Sébastien Buemi suffering a mechanical gremlin; António Félix da Costa suffered a similar fate towards the race’s end. But between the breakdowns, slides and occasional crashes, there was also genuine, wheel-to-wheel racing. 

The strength of the Michelin tyre ensured that drivers could focus on racing rather than management, and the results were lots of late braking manoeuvres, lunges into hairpins and high-speed place changes. Like race one of the season, entertainment was certainly not lacking at the Putrajaya ePrix. 

The championship 

The Formula E circus next heads to Punta Del Este in Uruguay for round three of the 2015/2016 series on the 19th December. Di Grassi leads the championship with 43 points, eight clear of second placed Buemi and 19 ahead of Sam Bird in third. Last year’s title winner, Nelson Piquet Jr, currently lies twelfth in the standings. Don't write him off just yet - if the Malaysian race is anything to go by, the 2015-2016 Formula E championship is wide open.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

720bhp Maserati MCXtrema makes track debut ahead of first deliveries
Maserati MCXtrema
News

720bhp Maserati MCXtrema makes track debut ahead of first deliveries

Taking the MC20 as a base, Maserati has created a limited-run track car with a 720bhp twin-turbo V6
26 Mar 2024
Aston Martin Vantage GT4 revealed – less weight, slick tyres and more aero
Aston Martin Vantage GT4 – front
News

Aston Martin Vantage GT4 revealed – less weight, slick tyres and more aero

Aston has unveiled its Vantage-based GT4 race car, and it’ll be hunting for class wins at endurance events this year
27 Feb 2024
The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is targeting Le Mans glory
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 – front
News

The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is targeting Le Mans glory

Aston’s new GT3 challenger will compete in the world’s most prestigious endurance races in 2024 – including Le Mans
12 Feb 2024
Ford’s new Mustang GT3 car will race at Daytona
Ford Mustang GT3 – front
News

Ford’s new Mustang GT3 car will race at Daytona

The new Ford Mustang will be rolled out for competition for the first time at Daytona, competing in GT3 and GT4 classes
23 Jan 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024