MS Amlin Andretti remain pointless since the opening race in Hong Kong after a penalty for Antonio Felix da Costa relegated him from ninth to eleventh in the final standings at the Monaco ePrix.
The race stewards deemed that Andretti released their driver unsafely after his pit stop, and the time penalty he was issued as a result took him out of the points.
It marked another disappointing race for the American team, who after an impressive start in the opening round of the season have been hugely disappointing.
While da Costa was pleased with the speed his car had, he emphasised that the team needs to improve.
“We he good speed and a good race, managed our energy well and ended up finishing P9 [before the penalty],” he said after the race.
“Obviously being here where it’s so hard to overtake, I think that’s a positive to take home. It’s not where I want to be, finishing P11.
“I want to be higher up. As a team we know that so we will work harder to keep improving.”
The race was no better for his team-mate Robin Frijns, who also ran in the top ten for most of the race.
However he struggled to manage his energy following the early stops that most drivers were forced into following the safety car being deployed.
And a race long battle with Esteban Gutierrez meant that he ended up being forced to go over his energy allowance as the finish approached.
Frijns commented after the race, “The race was difficult. Everything looked okay in the first car and I think I had more energy left mid-way through the race than the cars around me.
“I think the other cars were planning to stop one lap earlier than we were but then the safety car came out and everyone came to their box at the same time.
“After that it was about everyone surviving. I had Gutierrez behind me and I couldn’t follow the car in front of me while trying to hit my numbers which was difficult.
“Then in the last few laps the regen went away and I couldn’t recover. It was a bit of a surprise but that’s how it goes.”
The result leaves Andretti mired in eighth in the team’s championship, just one point ahead of Panasonic Jaguar Racing.
Driver’s Championship Standings
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Team’s Championship Standings
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