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Formula E drivers slam Hong Kong chicane kerb change

Changes made to the turn three/four chicane at the Hong Kong Formula E circuit between practice and qualifying have come in for widespread criticism from the drivers.

Crash, Robin Frijns, Amlin Andretti Formula E Team

Crash, Robin Frijns, Amlin Andretti Formula E Team

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Crash, Robin Frijns, Amlin Andretti Formula E Team
Track action
Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Racing
Track atmosphere
Lucas di Grassi, ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport
Track atmosphere
Track atmosphere

The removal of a kerb at the complex was notified to teams via a message on the official timing screens just five minutes before the start of qualifying.

This change triggered several accidents during the session, the largest of which involved Robin Frijns' Andretti which suffered chassis damage in the shunt necessitating the team to build up a new tub ahead of the race.

The knock on effect of the stoppage for Frijns accident was that the Super Pole session was cancelled in order to have enough time to charge the cars for the race. This was announced before the end of the last group in qualifying which has also angered some drivers.

“We have never tried the circuit in that configuration and actually it turned out a lot worse as you can see,” Mahindra’s Felix Rosenqvist told Motorsport.com of the kerb changes.

“What we had originally I thought was quite good, a real challenge. The blue sausage (kerb) was good because the cars didn’t bottom out.

"I think after the incidents in practice they decided to change it hoping it would be easier to short cut it but it did the opposite and made some bounce in to the wall.

"If they would have talked to the drivers there could have been a discussion but that didn’t happen which isn’t very good.”

Also suffering an accident during the qualifying phase was Lucas di Grassi in one of his ABT Schaeffler FE02 cars.

“It makes our life very difficult as we cannot predict what the car will do and they moved the kerbing to the inside,” opined the Brazilian.

"There should be no track modification between the sessions. In the worst case scenario it should be done between practice and qualifying or even before race as we have time to get used to it. This has completely compromised me for the race.”

Formula E is employing a driver advisor to the stewards this weekend for the first time. Blancpain GT driver Andy Soucek is filling the role for the FIA in Hong Kong this weekend.

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