Formula E

Di Grassi grabs Berlin pole by one thousandth of a second

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Credit: Formula E

Lucas di Grassi took a step towards closing down Sebastien Buemi at the top of the Formula E championship by taking pole position for the first of two races in Berlin this weekend.

The Brazilian only just managed to scrape in to the top five for the super pole shootout, but then put in a lap that was one thousandth of a second faster than Jose Maria Lopez.

Neither Nick Heidfeld or Sam Bird could get close to that time, and despite being up after the first two sectors Felix Rosenqvist made a mistake towards the end of his lap that left him down in third.

Both Mahindra Racing cars will be confident for the race though, with Heidfeld and Rosenqvist looking strong around the Berlin track.

Di Grassi’s lap not only secures the three points for pole position, but he will start comfortably ahead of title rival Buemi who could only manage fourteenth in his Renault e.dams.

The unique surface at the Tempelhof track in Berlin hasn’t suited the French team, and they have been lacking their usual competitive pace.

Jean-Eric Vergne just missed out on the super pole shootout, something he blamed on a lack of running following a motor change in his Techeetah that deprived him of time in the car this morning.

He was followed by Oliver Turvey, Daniel Abt and the other Renault of Nico Prost, with Jerome d’Ambrosio rounding off the top ten.

Elsewhere Stephane Sarrazin qualified twelfth in his first race for Techeetah, and it was a disappointing session for MS Amlin Andretti who could only manage seventeenth for Robin Frijns and twentieth for Antonio Felix da Costa.

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