2021 Diriyah ePrix explained

Type:CUST
Next Round:2021 Rome ePrix
Country:Saudi Arabia
Grand Prix:Diriyah
Gp Suffix:ePrix
Year:2021
Official Name:2021 Diriyah E-Prix
Location:Riyadh Street Circuit, Diriyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Course:Street circuit
Course Length:2.495km (01.55miles)
Distance Laps:32
Distance Length:79.84km (49.61miles)
Pole Driver:Nyck de Vries
Pole Country:NED
Pole Team:Mercedes
Pole Time:1:08.157
Fast Driver:Stoffel Vandoorne
René Rast
Fast Team:Mercedes
Audi
Fast Time:1:09.583 (1:09.655)
Fast Lap:30 (16)
Fast Country:BEL
First Driver:Nyck de Vries
First Country:NED
First Team:Mercedes
Second Country:CHE
Second Team:Venturi-Mercedes
Third Country:NZL
Third Team:Jaguar
Type:CUST
Next Round:2021 Rome ePrix
Country:Saudi Arabia
Grand Prix:Diriyah
Gp Suffix:ePrix
Year:2021
Official Name:2021 Diriyah E-Prix
Location:Riyadh Street Circuit, Diriyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Course:Street circuit
Course Length:2.495km (01.55miles)
Distance Laps:29
Distance Length:72.355km (44.959miles)
Pole Driver:Robin Frijns
Pole Country:NED
Pole Team:Virgin-Audi
Pole Time:1:07.889
Fast Driver:Nyck de Vries
Fast Team:Mercedes
Fast Time:1:08.811
Fast Lap:20
Fast Country:NED
First Driver:Sam Bird
First Country:GBR
First Team:Jaguar
Second Country:NED
Second Team:Virgin-Audi
Third Country:POR
Third Team:Techeetah-DS

The 2021 Diriyah ePrix (officially the 2021 ABB FIA Formula E Diriyah ePrix) was a pair of Formula E electric car races held at the Riyadh Street Circuit in the town of Diriyah, north-west of Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia on 26 and 27 February 2021. It was the opening round of the 2020–21 Formula E season and the third edition of the Diriyah ePrix, and marked the first ever Formula E race held at night. The first race was won by Nyck de Vries,[1] with Edoardo Mortara and Mitch Evans rounding out the podium. Sam Bird won the second race,[2] ahead of Robin Frijns and António Félix da Costa.

Classification

Race one

Qualifying

Group draw[3]
Group 1 DAC VAN (2) JEV (3) BUE (4) ROW (5) DIG (6)
Group 2 EVA (7) LOT (8) GUE (9) BIR (10) DEV (11) FRI (12)
Group 3 SIM (13) MOR (14) RAS (15) LYN (17) WEH (18) TUR (24)
Group 4 MUL (25) BLO (26) SET (27) DEN (–) CAS (–) NAT (–)
DriverTeam
117data-sort-value="DEV" Nyck de VriesMercedes1:08.7861:08.1571
299data-sort-value="WEH" Pascal WehrleinPorsche1:08.8851:08.8212
333data-sort-value="RAS" René RastAudi1:08.9591:08.8693
448data-sort-value="MOR" Edoardo MortaraVenturi-Mercedes1:08.7981:09.3174
594data-sort-value="LYN" Alex LynnMahindra1:09.1331:09.3455
620data-sort-value="EVA" Mitch EvansJaguar1:09.1521:09.7066
736data-sort-value="LOT" André LottererPorsche1:09.1577
810data-sort-value="BIR" Sam BirdJaguar1:09.2658
928data-sort-value="GUE" Maximilian GüntherAndretti-BMW1:09.2779
1022data-sort-value="ROW" Oliver Rowlande.dams-Nissan1:09.36210
1129data-sort-value="SIM" Alexander SimsMahindra1:09.55911
1271data-sort-value="NAT" Norman NatoVenturi-Mercedes1:09.62812
138data-sort-value="TUR" Oliver TurveyNIO1:09.63113
1427data-sort-value="DEN" Jake DennisAndretti-BMW1:09.72314
155data-sort-value="VAN" Stoffel VandoorneMercedes1:10.12815
1611data-sort-value="DIG" Lucas di GrassiAudi1:10.47416
1723data-sort-value="BUE" Sébastien Buemie.dams-Nissan1:10.59417
1813data-sort-value="DAC" António Félix da CostaTecheetah-DS1:10.73518
1925data-sort-value="JEV" Jean-Éric VergneTecheetah-DS1:10.80419
207data-sort-value="SET" Sérgio Sette CâmaraDragon-Penske1:21.44520
2137data-sort-value="CAS" Nick CassidyVirgin-Audi1:22.02021
2288data-sort-value="BLO" Tom BlomqvistNIO1:23.16522
236data-sort-value="MUL" Nico MüllerDragon-Penske1:24.95523
244data-sort-value="FRI" Robin FrijnsVirgin-Audino time24
Source:[4] [5]
Notes:

Race

DriverTeamTime/RetiredPoints
117data-sort-value="DEV" Nyck de VriesMercedes3246:44.765125+3+1
248data-sort-value="MOR" Edoardo MortaraVenturi-Mercedes32+4.119418
320data-sort-value="EVA" Mitch EvansJaguar32+4.619615
433data-sort-value="RAS" René RastAudi32+4.852312+1
599data-sort-value="WEH" Pascal WehrleinPorsche32+7.962210
622data-sort-value="ROW" Oliver Rowlande.dams-Nissan32+9.318108
729data-sort-value="SIM" Alexander SimsMahindra32+9.686116
85data-sort-value="VAN" Stoffel VandoorneMercedes32+9.973154
911data-sort-value="DIG" Lucas di GrassiAudi32+11.089162
108data-sort-value="TUR" Oliver TurveyNIO32+15.518131
1113data-sort-value="DAC" António Félix da CostaTecheetah-DS32+16.22518
1227data-sort-value="DEN" Jake DennisAndretti-BMW32+17.02514
1323data-sort-value="BUE" Sébastien Buemie.dams-Nissan32+17.27317
1471data-sort-value="NAT" Norman NatoVenturi-Mercedes32+17.31212
1525data-sort-value="JEV" Jean-Éric VergneTecheetah-DS32+18.40219
1636data-sort-value="LOT" André LottererPorsche32+18.4177
174data-sort-value="FRI" Robin FrijnsVirgin-Audi32+18.82224
1888data-sort-value="BLO" Tom BlomqvistNIO32+19.07222
1937data-sort-value="CAS" Nick CassidyVirgin-Audi32+19.95121
207data-sort-value="SET" Sérgio Sette CâmaraDragon-Penske32+20.17420
216data-sort-value="MUL" Nico MüllerDragon-Penske32+20.586
Ret28data-sort-value="GUE" Maximilian GüntherAndretti-BMW23Accident9
Ret10data-sort-value="BIR" Sam BirdJaguar22Collision damage8
Ret94data-sort-value="LYN" Alex LynnMahindra16Collision5
Source:[6]
Notes:

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1 Nyck de Vries29
2 Edoardo Mortara18
3 Mitch Evans15
4 René Rast13
5 Pascal Wehrlein10
Teams' Championship standings
PosConstructorPoints
1 Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team33
2 ROKiT Venturi Racing18
3 Jaguar Racing15
4 Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E Team15
5 TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team10

Race two

Qualifying

Group draw[7]
Group 1 DEV MOR (2) EVA (3) RAS (4) WEH (5) ROW (6)
Group 2 SIM (7) VAN (8) DIG (9) TUR (10) DAC (11) DEN (12)
Group 3 BUE (13) NAT (14) JEV (15) LOT (16) FRI (17) BLO (18)
Group 4 CAS (19) SET (20) MUL (21) GUE (22) BIR (23) LYN (24)
DriverTeam
14data-sort-value="FRI" Robin FrijnsVirgin-Audi1:07.8101:07.8891
27data-sort-value="SET" Sérgio Sette CâmaraDragon-Penske1:08.3331:08.1782
310data-sort-value="BIR" Sam BirdJaguar1:08.3841:08.4053
48data-sort-value="TUR" Oliver TurveyNIO1:08.4241:08.4394
588data-sort-value="BLO" Tom BlomqvistNIO1:08.3671:08.7325
66data-sort-value="MUL" Nico MüllerDragon-Penske1:08.4321:09.0606
725data-sort-value="JEV" Jean-Éric VergneTecheetah-DS1:08.4717
823data-sort-value="BUE" Sébastien Buemie.dams-Nissan1:08.5448
994data-sort-value="LYN" Alex LynnMahindra1:08.63212
1013data-sort-value="DAC" António Félix da CostaTecheetah-DS1:08.6499
1137data-sort-value="CAS" Nick CassidyVirgin-Audi1:08.73310
1228data-sort-value="GUE" Maximilian GüntherAndretti-BMW1:08.79711
1322data-sort-value="ROW" Oliver Rowlande.dams-Nissan1:08.79813
1429data-sort-value="SIM" Alexander SimsMahindra1:08.87614
1511data-sort-value="DIG" Lucas Di GrassiAudi1:08.97015
1699data-sort-value="WEH" Pascal WehrleinPorsche1:09.60116
1727data-sort-value="DEN" Jake DennisAndretti-BMW1:11.19417
1820data-sort-value="EVA" Mitch EvansJaguar1:13.86818
1933data-sort-value="RAS" René RastAudi1:13.95419
2017data-sort-value="DEV" Nyck De VriesMercedesno time20
2148data-sort-value="MOR" Edoardo MortaraVenturi-Mercedesno time21
225data-sort-value="VAN" Stoffel VandoorneMercedesno time22
2371data-sort-value="NAT" Norman NatoVenturi-Mercedesno time23
2436data-sort-value="LOT" André LottererPorscheno time24
Source:[8] [9]
Notes:

Race

DriverTeamTime/RetiredPoints
110data-sort-value="BIR" Sam BirdJaguar2939:50.836325
24data-sort-value="FRI" Robin FrijnsVirgin-Audi29+2.194118+3+1
313data-sort-value="DAC" António Félix da CostaTecheetah-DS29+6.900915
47data-sort-value="SET" Sérgio Sette CâmaraDragon-Penske29+12.817212
56data-sort-value="MUL" Nico MüllerDragon-Penske29+13.924610
68data-sort-value="TUR" Oliver TurveyNIO29+15.52348
722data-sort-value="ROW" Oliver Rowlande.dams-Nissan29+16.389136
811data-sort-value="DIG" Lucas di GrassiAudi29+20.612154
917data-sort-value="DEV" Nyck de VriesMercedes29+22.482202+1
1099data-sort-value="WEH" Pascal WehrleinPorsche29+25.395161
1136data-sort-value="LOT" André LottererPorsche29+27.257
1225data-sort-value="JEV" Jean-Éric VergneTecheetah-DS29+28.8467
135data-sort-value="VAN" Stoffel VandoorneMercedes29+29.11222
1437data-sort-value="CAS" Nick CassidyVirgin-Audi29+33.07910
1529data-sort-value="SIM" Alexander SimsMahindra29+43.88514
1671data-sort-value="NAT" Norman NatoVenturi-Mercedes29+48.19223
1733data-sort-value="RAS" René RastAudi29+1:06.25419
1888data-sort-value="BLO" Tom BlomqvistNIO29+1:09.5085
Ret23data-sort-value="BUE" Sébastien Buemie.dams-Nissan26Retired8
Ret28data-sort-value="GUE" Maximilian GüntherAndretti-BMW26Collision11
Ret20data-sort-value="EVA" Mitch EvansJaguar26Collision18
Ret94data-sort-value="LYN" Alex LynnMahindra26Collision12
Ret27data-sort-value="DEN" Jake DennisAndretti-BMW16Collision17
DNS48data-sort-value="MOR" Edoardo MortaraVenturi-Mercedes0Did not start21
Source:[12]
Notes:

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1 Nyck de Vries32
212 Sam Bird25
143 Robin Frijns22
24 Edoardo Mortara18
65 António Félix da Costa15
Teams' Championship standings
PosConstructorPoints
31 Jaguar Racing40
1236
83 Envision Virgin Racing22
84 Dragon / Penske Autosport22
25 Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler Formula E Team19

Events

Major incidents

Edoardo Mortara suffered a brake failure in his Venturi-Mercedes car while making practice starts after the end of Saturday's free practice 3, causing him to crash heavily into the barriers at turn one. He was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.[14] Mortara was permitted to race, despite not taking part in qualifying. However, he did not take the start as his mechanics could not repair the damage to his car in time.[15]

Later on in the day, race two ended early following an accident – not shown on the international broadcast, but on one of the track's CCTV cameras – involving Mitch Evans and Alex Lynn in which the latter's car flipped over. It came shortly after Sébastien Buemi had come to a halt and Maximilian Günther and Tom Blomqvist had made contact further up ahead on the same lap. Immediately after Lynn's car stopped, Evans jumped out of his car to check on the Briton. The safety car was called out, and eventually the race was concluded with a red flag.[16] Lynn was taken to hospital for examination,[17] and later the Mahindra team announced on Twitter that he had been cleared from the hospital, and would thus be allowed to take part in the Rome ePrix.[18] The way the crash unfolded looked similar to that of Formula One driver Mark Webber at the 2010 European Grand Prix, with the exception that Lynn's car landed upside down rather than Webber's right side up.

Other

During the award ceremony, the government of Saudi Arabia, with a Patriot missile, neutralized a missile over Riyadh, near the town of Diriyah,[19] allegedly fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels.[20] There were no injuries, but flights were diverted[21] [22] or cancelled, making some participants go back to their hotels,[23] and a house was damaged.[24] This also raised concerns about the then-upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with regards to safety for the staff, teams, and drivers; such a missile attack did occur during the 2022 running of the Formula One event.

References

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2020 Berlin ePrix|width="30%"|FIA Formula E World Championship
2020–21 season
|width="35%"|Next race:
2021 Rome ePrix|- style="text-align:center"|width="35%"|Previous race:
2019 Ad Diriyah ePrix|width="30%"|Diriyah ePrix|width="35%"|Next race:
2022 Diriyah ePrix|- style="text-align:center"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nyck De Vries the leading light as Formula E opens with night race in Diriyah. LiveScore. 26 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Sam Bird wins second Formula E night race in Diriyah after horrror crash for Alex Lynn. LiveScore. 27 February 2021.
  3. Web site: Doc 28 - Qualifying Groups. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  4. Web site: Doc 51 - Final Classification Qualifying Superpole. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  5. Web site: Doc 52 - Final Starting Grid Race. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  6. Web site: Doc 65 - Final Classification Race. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  7. Web site: Doc 68 - Qualifying Groups. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  8. Web site: Doc 88 - Final Classification Qualifying - Superpole. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  9. Web site: Doc 96 - Final Starting Grid Race. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  10. Web site: Doc 63 - Decision No. 23. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021.
  11. Web site: Mercedes teams forced to miss qualifying after Mortara crash. The Race. 27 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Doc 116 - Final Classification Race. FIA Formula E. 28 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228145129/https://fe-noticeboard.s3.amazonaws.com/06_2020-21/02_R02%20Diriyah/ABB%20FIA%20Formula%20E%20World%20Championship/116_Doc%20116%20-%20Final%20Classification%20Race.pdf. 2021-02-28. live.
  13. Web site: Vergne loses podium amid nine post-race Formula E penalties. The Race. 27 February 2021.
  14. Web site: Mortara suffers massive post-practice crash, Frijns fastest. The Race. 27 February 2021.
  15. Web site: ROKiT Venturi Racing on Twitter. Twitter. 27 February 2021.
  16. Web site: Fórmula E: em prova com acidente feio no fim, Sam Bird vence na Arábia; Sette Câmara é quarto. pt-BR. Globoesporte.com. 27 February 2021.
  17. Web site: Alex Lynn taken to hospital after dramatic crash in Formula E race. GPblog.com. 27 February 2021.
  18. Web site: Mahindra Racing on Twitter. Twitter. 27 February 2021.
  19. Web site: Saudi missile interception carried out near Diriyah Formula E track. FormulaRapida.net. 28 February 2021.
  20. Web site: Saudis Say They Intercepted Houthi Missile Attack Over Capital. The New York Times. 27 February 2021.
  21. Web site: Saudi Arabia hit by mass ballistic missile and drone attack – Iran backed rebels blamed. Express.co.uk. 27 February 2021.
  22. Web site: Fórmula E: Sauditas repeliram ataque de mísseis. pt. Autosport. 28 February 2021.
  23. Web site: Míssil assusta organização da Fórmula E na Arábia Saudita e gera preocupação para F-1. pt-BR. 2021-02-28. 2021-03-02. Estadão.
  24. Web site: No injuries in missile attack on Riyadh during Formula E weekend. GPblog.com. 28 February 2021.