In a dramatic season finale in New York City, Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler secured the teams title following an impressive comeback from the German team. Audi struggled to get going during the 2017/18 ABB FIA Formula E Championship campaign, which saw four successive non-scoring races for reigning series champion Lucas Di Grassi, but with the help of his team-mate Daniel Abt, Audi were able to make a triumphant resurgence that has left them at the top of the tree in the teams classification.
Audi claimed four podium positions during the New York City double-header, claiming 78 of the possible 94 points for the weekend, turning an almost unassailable deficit they had to Techeetah into a 2-point advantage after the final weekend of the season.
There was good news for Lucas Di Grassi in his final championship finishing position too, with a first and a second in New York, elevated him to second in the final classification despite failing to score a single point in the first four races of the season. The Brazilian was delighted with the outcome of the season, claiming second in the drivers standings, with Audi securing their first teams title in Formula E in their debut season as a works outfit:
“No points in four of the races and now I’m second in the drivers’ classification – this is a small miracle. It still turned out to be an exceptional season for me and also our team. We never give up and winning the teams’ title after such an incredible comeback is the best proof of this.”
His team-mate Daniel Abt was similarly tenacious in New York, and scored well this weekend with a second in race one and a third in race two, which has asserted himself inside the top five positions in the drivers standings by the end of the season. The German has also had his time at the top of the podium this season with two wins in Mexico City and Berlin which kick-started Audi’s teams title charge.
After his performance in New York City, Abt said: “We had a big goal and we achieved it. What a comeback – I’m happy and delighted for the entire team. And this includes people not at the track, but also every partner and employee in Ingolstadt, Neuburg and Kempten.”
Allan McNish, Team Principal of Audi explained the feeling watching the second race of the weekend, who helped secure the teams title in his first year in charge of the Audi works project, saying: “Yes, we were biting our nails all the way to the last corner and the final second of the race, but now it’s reality: Teams’ Champions! I’ll now give Lucas and Daniel a big hug. This season was up and down, and they always did their best. Also, today when a push came to a shove, they delivered the goods. A big thank you also goes to our base camp in Germany. Great job.”
Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass added: “When we travelled to New York, it was clear that it would be a huge challenge. That it would be such a thriller and go all the way to the last corner kept us all speechless. A big thank you also to all the employees at Audi Sport, ABT and Schaeffler at home. This heart-stopping finale was really electrifying.”
