Sport

All the action from the world of motorsport

HUNTER

Rokit Venturi driver Edoardo Mortara (left) earned a win and a second in Berlin to put more pressure on series leader Vandoorne

Jakarta marks halfway fo

● Indonesia hosts round six ● Mercedes-EQ lead title races

Alex Ingram

Alex _ Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram

THIS weekend sees the Formula E circus hit the streets of Jakarta in Indonesia for the first time ever. Following a false start in 2020, when the date was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the race also marks the return of an FIA-sanctioned motorsport event in Indonesia for the first time since the A1 GP championship visited the country 16 years ago.

Located in the Ancol coastal area towards the north of Jakarta, the new circuit is a purpose-built layout, with 18 turns on its 1.47-mile lap.

Following an announcement that the race in Vancouver will no longer go ahead, the 2021/22 season is now beyond the halfway mark – and following a doubleheader at the Berlin E-Prix, last year’s World Championship winning Mercedes-EQ Formula E team has increased its grip on both titles once again. Stoffel Vandoorne left Germany with a 12-point advantage in the driver’s standings; his pair of thirdplace finishes resulted in a six-point net gain, despite a phenomenal performance from title rival Edoardo Mortara. The Rokit Venturi driver took pole position and victory in a tense first race of the weekend after overcoming a close battle with Vandoorne, DS Techeetah driver Jean-Eric Vergne and Porsche’s André Lotterer, with all four drivers fighting over the top four positions.

Mortara followed up his win with second place in the second event of the round, which took place on a reversed layout of the Tempelhof Airport circuit. With the second race allowing drivers to use Attack Mode only once – but for eight minutes at a time – it reduced the tactical element to making the most of the 47bhp power boost, which is activated by running off line through a special zone and potentially losing track position to competitors. As a result, the race was a little more of a procession than the first.

The eventual winner was Vandoorne’s team-mate and reigning Formula E champ Nick de Vries. The race was won for the Dutchman by making an audacious LEADERS

Vandoorne (right) and de Vries head to Indonesia following a strong weekend at their team’s home race in Berlin

move down the inside into turn one on the first lap, in which he passed both Mortara and Envision driver Robin Frijns.

The final lap threw up excitement behind the Mercedes drivers and Mortara, when sixth-placed Frijns clipped Antonio Felix Da Costa, sending the Portuguese driver sideways at high speed – and somehow catching the slide before heading nose-first into the barrier.

Vandoorne’s 111-point haul is a result of impressive consistency; he has five podiums out of eight races so far this season – more than any other driver. Following the second Berlin race, he said. “That was an excellent race for us. It was a little less action-packed for me than yesterday, but still, it’s great to be back on the podium. ”

Mortara’s excellent Berlin weekend jumped him to second in the standings on 99 points, and four points clear of Vergne.

Mercedes-EQ heads up the teams standings on 176 points, ahead of Rokit Venturi Racing on 148 points.