Mercedes’ de Vries explains why he lost maiden FE podium
Mercedes driver Nyck de Vries lost a maiden Formula E podium in Santiago because the battery coolant his team added to his car ahead of the race was too cold.
De Vries surged up the order in the late stages of Saturday’s sweltering race in the Chilean capital – which was won by BMW Andretti driver Maximilian Gunther – and crossed the line in third place, just ahead of Jaguar's Mitch Evans.
But the 2019 Formula 2 champion was immediately shuffled back to fifth as he had been handed an in-race five-second penalty for what was initially described as a “technical infringement”.
The relevant stewards document later revealed there had been a breach of Article 27.9 of FE’s sporting rules, which relates to the instructions given by FIA battery supplier McLaren Applied Technologies regarding – among other things – minimum battery coolant temperatures.
“We had a battery infringement ahead of the race,” de Vries told Motorsport.com. “Everyone is trying to cool down the battery as much as possible before the race starts and unfortunately we just went below the threshold. [It’s a] big shame – should have been a first podium on track but it happens, everyone makes mistakes, I make mistakes, so it's part of the job.
“Pushed to P5, but nevertheless, I'm satisfied with our race. We did a good job - at the beginning we were struggling a little bit in terms of pace and positioning [de Vries fell from an eighth-place grid spot to run as low as 11th on lap five of what would become a 40-tour race before his late recovery].
“But from mid-race onward our pace was really good and we came through nicely. We had good communication so I'm pleased with our job in the end.”
More penalties applied
Four other drivers were also had penalties for technical rule infringements during the third – and possibly final – Santiago race.
NIO 333 driver Ma Qing Hua also received an in race five-second penalty, but for “not [respecting] the power availability, according to Article 8.1 of the FIA supplier battery software implementation guide”, per the relevant FIA bulletin. Ma then had a 10s stop/go penalty converted into a post-race 45s time addition for not using attack mode during the race. He ended up 16th and a lap down in the final classification.
Mahindra Racing and Nissan e.dams drivers Jerome d’Ambrosio and Sebastien Buemi were give drive-through penalties that were converted into post-race penalties of 30s for using too much regen. Buemi therefore dropped from seventh at the line to 13th in the final classification, while D’Ambrosio stopped in the pits late-on with a suspected gearbox issue and was not classified.
Porsche’s Andre Lotterer – who finished 12 laps down and unclassified after a clash with Dragon driver Nico Muller broke his suspension, which was then repaired in the pits – was later disqualified from the results for going over the maximum 200kW power level when not in attack mode.
Previous article
Santiago E-Prix: Gunther grabs win with last-lap pass on da Costa
Next article
Massa opens up on teammate clash in Santiago
About this article
| Series | Formula E |
| Event | Santiago E-prix |
| Drivers | Nyck de Vries |
| Author | Alex Kalinauckas |
Why the new Formula E season got off to such a controversial start
With the new Formula E season belatedly getting underway in Saudi Arabia, the championship appeared to try to make up for lost time with an overspill of action and controversy on and off the track. While some talking points could have serious repercussions, it was an explosive opener for many reasons.
The eight major plotlines to watch in Formula E 2021
The delayed 2020-21 Formula E season gets underway this week with a double-header in Saudi Arabia. The testing times were too close to call a favourite, but that's not the only area of interest to follow as the championship enters a crucial year
Why Formula E's 2021 season will be a crucial litmus test
As off-track politics threatens to overshadow events on it, the upcoming Formula E season is perhaps its most important since the championship's inception. And that's a shame, given that the focus should be on what promises to be its closest title fight yet.
How Mercedes and Porsche can avoid a difficult second FE album
Mercedes and Porsche compete to win and have done so across the board: in Formula 1, sportscars, the Dakar Rally and endurance road races - even working together to break land speed records. Next in the crosshairs is the Formula E teams' championship crown.
What Formula E must do for McLaren to act on its attraction
News that McLaren is formally considering a Formula E move is a much-needed boost for a series that took some punches at the end of 2020. But to allay any doubts that Zak Brown may have, FE must take action on its biggest potential stumbling block
Why BMW and Audi have pulled the plug on Formula E
BMW and Audi shocked the Formula E fraternity by announcing their departures at the end of the 2020-21 season. Overnight, the championship has been dealt something of a "wake-up call" - including questions about its relevance to manufacturers.
What we learned from Formula E's Valencia test
There was no shortage of intrigue surrounding Formula E's pre-season test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, dominated by talk of Audi's impending exit. But it still served to whet appetites for the start of another competitive season in January
The logic behind Audi’s surprise change of course
OPINION: Audi announcing its imminent Formula E departure on the eve of its first season with world championship status might come as something of a shock. But while it doesn't equate to a rejection of VW's electrification push, there is reason to it...
