Edoardo Mortara ended the 2021-22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season with victory in race two of the Seoul E-Prix, but the Swiss driver admits it was bittersweet after missing out on the Drivers’ title.
The ROKiT Venturi Racing driver took the lead early in Seoul and was in control thereafter until the chequered flag, going on to claim his fourth victory of the season.
However, failing to score points in either race of the London E-Prix nor the opening race in South Korea meant he lost the chance to fight for the title, ending the year third in the final standings behind Stoffel Vandoorne and Mitch Evans.
Mortara was pleased to end Formula E’s one hundredth race and the final Gen2 event with victory, but he knows they will have to step up and find more consistency next season if he is to finally take the Drivers’ title that has eluded him.
“I have mixed emotions but overall, it was a very positive day for me,” said Mortara. “The car felt strong from practice and after qualifying second, I knew that I would be in a very strong position for the race if I could take the lead.
“I was able to get past Antonio [Felix da Costa] quite early and in the clean air we seemed to be very quick. I was able to manage the tyres and battery temperatures very well and the team gave me a very strong car.
“Winning the final race of Gen2, and Formula E’s 100th race, is very special but after a few difficult weekends recently it was also a relief. The win will give me a boost, this season we showed that we can win races, but we still have a lot to learn, and I’m confident that the best is yet to come.”
“I can’t be more proud to be a part of this story” – Lucas di Grassi
Team-mate Lucas di Grassi ended his final weekend with Venturi with a podium finish in race one and an eleventh in race two, although his Sunday race was heavily affected by an early puncture caused by contact with Maximilian Günther.
His third place finish on Saturday meant he hit one thousand points in Formula E – the first driver in the championships history to break that barrier – but he was unable to add to his tally on Sunday.
Di Grassi now moves to Mahindra Racing for season nine and the start of the Gen3 era, but he admits he is proud of what he achieved during his single season with Venturi after ending fifth in the final standings.
“Today I had a difficult race,” said di Grassi. “Starting sixth I got hit twice at the start by [Max] Günther and that caused a puncture on my front-right tyre.
“I had to pit because of this, re-joined in fourteenth and managed to overtake a few cars to finish eleventh which realistically, was the best we could do in the circumstances.
“Despite this, the team finished second in the World Championship, which is super deserved and I’m really proud to have finished fifth in the Drivers’ Championship.
“After joining ROKiT Venturi Racing at the start of the season and seeing just how hard these guys work, they deserve every single moment of this. I can’t be more proud to be a part of this story. We’re going to celebrate tonight and then have the good rest that we deserve.”
