After starting from the back of the grid for the Punta del Este ePrix, Bruno Senna responded with a brilliant attack up the standings, taking sixth at the flag and grabbing his first points in Formula E. Team-mate Karun Chandhok had a more challenging race, finishing thirteenth as the Renault-Spark’s lack of energy took its toll.
It was a smooth start to the race, with the sand complaints proving to be less formidable than expected, and all of the grid got away cleanly as Senna looked to pounce.
He was a big mover during the opening corners and had quickly made his way up to seventeenth position, with Chandhok in ninth, however a slow moving Audi Sport ABT car of Daniel Abt followed by Virgin Racing’s Sam Bird hitting the wall changed the race while the safety car was on track, and it wasn’t long before the safety car returned to collect the Amlin Aguri of Antonio Felix da Costa.
It was then Chandhok’s turn for trouble, as he hit a kerb which damaged his car, and forced him into the pits to change into his second car earlier than expected.
“I caught the kerb at the turn 14/15 chicane which damaged my car, I wasn’t the only one who did this, I just happened to do it a few laps before my pit stop which was a problem during the race,” he said. “The team performed a brilliant pit stop though.”
Senna’s luck was better and after a slight brush with the wall himself he was able to come into the pits more or less as planned which left him in a stronger position for the remainder of the race.
The final stint was a case of managing the battery for Chandhok and gaining positions for his team-mate. Despite one final safety car period the Brazilian racer completed his recovery drive to sixth position overall despite having started from the very back of the grid, taking his first points of the season in the process.
“It was a very tough race to be honest and very eventful,” he said. “We had everything going for us today but we had to start at the back of the grid which was unfortunate. We picked up the first points of the season today which we have to be happy with however I know we could have been on for a much higher finish if we had started further up and if I hadn’t had to avoid an incident up ahead. Overall though, I’m happy with the points and we just need more of that now.”
