The inaugural Rome ePrix will deliver a ‘unique’ challenge for the ABB FIA Formula E grid according to local driver Luca Filippi.
The Circuito Cittadino Dell’EUR features twenty-one corners, vast elevation change and is the second longest circuit on the calendar.
Filippi believes all of which will all add up to things being a little bit different this weekend for the drivers.
Filippi is very much looking forward to his home race, but believes a change of driving style is needed, with the vast elevation changes seen in the track will create an entirely different challenge.
He told Motorsport.com that: “It’s very interesting because there is a big elevation change from the top part, which is where the start and the hairpin is going to be.
“Then the bottom part, where the park is, it definitely goes downhill and goes under a tunnel and then it comes up the hill [again].
“It’s more something that you have to adjust [to] in terms of the coasting. In theory, you could do a little bit of extra coasting going downhill. It definitely could be an extra interesting thing.”
Whether this will ring true or not is unclear, and it will be difficult to assess until we get into the race on Saturday afternoon.
Jean-Eric Vergne comes into the weekend with a thirty point championship margin over Felix Rosenqvist after winning two of the last three races in Santiago and Punta Del Este, and will be hoping to continue this strong form into the second half of the season. But after struggling in the European races last season, Vergne will be hoping for better luck this time.
After a dreadful start to the season, Lucas Di Grassi is feeling confident that he can extract something out of the season after taking his first podium of the championship at the last race in Punta Del Este.
The Brazilian told Formula Spy that: “A look at the championship standings shows that we’ve got a lot to win and little to lose. I’m going to give my all to clinch my first victory this season and to make the many fans and guests of Audi proud.”
And after a challenging first half of the season, Di Grassi will be giving it everything ahead of the race this weekend.
The deep-seated connection between Rome and Formula E was highlighted on Wednesday afternoon when Pope Francis met the Formula E grid ahead of the race this weekend.
Therefore, local driver Luca Filippi, who told Motorsport.com that: “If you think of Formula E [as being] all about technology and innovation, and if you think about Rome – it’s definitely about history, but what they’ve done in that history is to be very ahead of everyone and innovating [was] always in the DNA of the Empire”
