Pierre Gasly said that his first experience in Formula E was ‘very positive’ after he managed to score two points finishes in the New York ePrix.
The Frenchman was asked to step in for championship leader Sebastien Buemi who was unable to attend the New York race due to his WEC commitments with Toyota.
Gasly was tasked with not only trying to limit the points scored by Buemi’s title challenger Lucas di Grassi, but also help his Renault e.dams team keep their dominant lead at the top of the team’s championship.
He had to do all of this with no prior experience of driving a Formula E car, and with his flight getting in only a short time before the race started.
Although the weekend got off to an inauspicious start for Gasly when he only qualified nineteenth on the grid for the first race, he soon got to grips with the driving style required and finished an impressive seventh.
He then beat di Grassi in the second race by finishing fourth, having managed to qualify for the super pole shootout, something Gasly admitted to taking him by surprise.
“This weekend was very positive because it was my first experience in Formula E and I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Gasly.
“We had a very busy schedule, especially with me arriving later on during the event. There was a lot to learn but we did great. We scored important points for the team.
“I didn’t expect to be in Super Pole this morning after only one day spent in the car. Furthermore, having to learn how to manage the battery and dealing with this in addition to driving.”
The Frenchman said he enjoyed the challenge of driving in a new formula, and also wished the team luck ahead of the title decider in Canada at the end of the month.
“It was a great opportunity to discover a new discipline and I enjoyed the challenge very much. I would like to thank the team for this great weekend and I hope they will win in Montreal.”
Thanks to the eighteen points scored by Gasly, Renault were able to extend their lead at the top of the team’s standings, and now hold a near unassailable 65 point advantage going into the season finale.
Driver’s Championship
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Team’s Championship
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